Zimbabwean court frees two opposition officials

HARARE – Zimbabwean police have released two opposition officials arrested at the airport on their way to neighbouring South Africa to seek treatment following assaults by security forces, their lawyer said yesterday.

“Sekai Holland and Grace Kwinje have been released from police custody following an order by (high court judge) Justice Bharat Patel,” lawyer Alec Muchadehama told AFP. The judge also restrained the state from barring the pair’s trip to South Africa for medical treatment.Holland, secretary for policy and research of the opposition Movement for Democratic Change (MDC) and the party’s international relations chief Kwinje, were among scores of opposition officials and activists including MDC leader Morgan Tsvangirai assaulted by security forces blocking an anti-government rally in Harare almost two weeks ago.The pair were placed under police guard at the private Avenues clinic in Harare on Saturday and their passports were seized at the Harare international airport from where they were due to fly to South Africa.Muchadehama said Kwinje and Holland’s injuries were serious and they required urgent specialist attention only available in South Africa.The court ordered that the opposition officials’ lawyer notify the police of their whereabouts while outside Zimbabwe.”They shall make themselves available in Zimbabwe in order to be served with such summons as may be issued against them to answer such criminal charges as may be preferred against them,” the judge said.Police have also returned the passport of Arthur Mutambara, leader of a breakaway opposition faction also arrested at the airport as he sought to fly out of the country.MDC lawmaker Nelson Chamisa, who suffered serious injuries to his head and one eye when he was picked up by suspected state security agents on his way to the airport, en route to Brussels, was still hospitalised on Thursday.Nampa-AFPThe judge also restrained the state from barring the pair’s trip to South Africa for medical treatment.Holland, secretary for policy and research of the opposition Movement for Democratic Change (MDC) and the party’s international relations chief Kwinje, were among scores of opposition officials and activists including MDC leader Morgan Tsvangirai assaulted by security forces blocking an anti-government rally in Harare almost two weeks ago.The pair were placed under police guard at the private Avenues clinic in Harare on Saturday and their passports were seized at the Harare international airport from where they were due to fly to South Africa.Muchadehama said Kwinje and Holland’s injuries were serious and they required urgent specialist attention only available in South Africa.The court ordered that the opposition officials’ lawyer notify the police of their whereabouts while outside Zimbabwe.”They shall make themselves available in Zimbabwe in order to be served with such summons as may be issued against them to answer such criminal charges as may be preferred against them,” the judge said.Police have also returned the passport of Arthur Mutambara, leader of a breakaway opposition faction also arrested at the airport as he sought to fly out of the country.MDC lawmaker Nelson Chamisa, who suffered serious injuries to his head and one eye when he was picked up by suspected state security agents on his way to the airport, en route to Brussels, was still hospitalised on Thursday.Nampa-AFP