AFFIDAVIT OF JESTINA MUNGAREHWA MUKOKO

Transcription

1 AFFIDAVIT OF JESTINA MUNGAREHWA MUKOKO I, JESTINA MUNGAREHWA MUKOKO do hereby take oath and state that: 1. I am the deponent of this affidavit and all the facts I depose to herein are to the best of my knowledge and belief true and correct. 2. I am the National Director of a none governmental organization the Zimbabwe Peace Project (ZPP) 3. On the 3 rd of December 2008, at round 05 00hours I was at my place of residence, House Number 3940 Gushungo drive, Nharira View, Norton, when seven people (7), six (6) males and one (1) female gained access to my house. These individuals did not identify themselves to me, but insisted that I accompany them to them to an undisclosed place. 4. I requested that I be allowed to collect personal belongings namely, my eye glasses, dress up since I was not wearing anything other than a night dress, I had no undergarments and other personal and medical requirements. This request was turned down. 5. I was immediately grabbed by two men whom I cannot identify and pushed towards the door, leading to the gate where, an unmarked vehicle, a Mazda familia was parked. 6. I was informed by one of the occupants in the car that I must lie low on the seat of the car. Immediately a woolen jersey was put across my face, covering my eyes, nose and

2 mouth as a result I had problems breathing and almost suffocated. I told my abductors about my difficulties in breathing and they eased me a little on the car seat. I observed that there was a firearm no the floor of the car. 7. The vehicle drove off, in what I conceive to have been the direction of Harare, as the drive took no more than 40 minutes. At some point I managed to raise my head and could see that I was somewhere in Harare, as I could see the sign of the BIDDULPHS COMPANY. 8. We arrived at our destination, and I have no recollection of where I was now, as I had lost my orientation. I was taken into a side room, where a certain lady who seemed to be working in common purpose with my abductors came with plastic shoes (sandals) and a dress. I was kept in this side room for about an hour before I was taken to what I think was an interrogation room. The lady then asked leave of the men when she brought a panty. 9. I could not see the outside world through the windows; I was not allowed to look outside. Every time that I wanted to use the ablutions, I had to knock on the door for a lengthy time and someone would come and I had to cover my eyes with a blind fold and lead me to the toilet. I was given three (3) full meals each day which were breakfast, lunch and dinner. 10. On the 1 st day of my abduction, (the 3 rd of December 2008) I was taken to a large room, with six (6) occupants (five (5) male, one (1) female). They did not identify themselves but I picked the name of one of them to be MARARIKE. They asked about the organisation which I work for the Zimbabwe Peace Project (ZPP), the names of the board members, the founding organisations, and where the organisation was located. 11. Soon thereafter the line of questioning changed and I was now being accused of recruiting youths to undergo some form of military training and links with people at

3 Harvest House. I denied the allegations. Firstly I was assaulted underneath my feet with a rubber like object which was at least one (1) meter long and flexible while seated on the floor. Later I was informed to raise my feet onto a table, and the other people in the room started to assault me underneath my feet. This assault lasted for at least 5 to 6 minutes. They took a break and then continued again with the beatings. 12. The interrogation continued again. I was asked by the 6 individuals if I knew about the case of an ex-police officer who had visited my offices. I informed them that there was indeed such a visit, but had not met with this police officer whom I referred to BRODERICK TAKAWIRA, ZPP s provincial coordinator. I therefore had brief contact with the ex police officer, who by now had been identified by my interrogators as RICARDO HWASHENI. 13. I was asked about the persons I know within the MOVEMENT FOR DEMOCRATIC CHANGE T. I responded that like everyone I knew the names that are known in the public domain and space, I had no personal contacts with the party and had not been working with anyone at that Party. I was told to raise my feet onto the table and the beatings ensued. By now it appeared to have been around evening. 14. My interrogators took a break and returned after a few hours. They were all visibly drunk and some of them carried bottles of liquor. Some were drinking and watching while others continued to assault me under the feet. 15. I was asked about my connections with the COUNSELLING SERVICES UNIT (CSU) and in particular FIDELIS MUDIMU (a male nurse, counselor with CSU). I indicated that we referred medical patients to them as and when the need arises. I was asked to confirm that FIDELIS MUDIMU was involved in the recruiting/sending of youths for training. This I vehemently denied as I was not involved in such and to my best of knowledge CSU only deals with medical issues. I had met the ex-police officer briefly

4 whom they allege to have been recruited by me and assisted to cross the border by FIDELIS MUDIMU. 16. On the 3 rd day of detention which was the 5 th of December I was given two (2) new underpants and a few sanitary pads as I had begun my monthly menstrual cycle. 17. I was blind folded, in the evening and loaded onto a vehicle which I believe was a combi/van as we could seat about 4 four people on one seat. We drove for about 2 hours. I do not know where we went but I had been warned that since I refused to cooperate they were going to hand me over to some people and they could not protect me. The next evening I was blindfolded and taken to some area which appeared to be a residential suburb, I was taken two steps up, and when my blind fold was removed, I was in what appeared to be a conference room, with about 10 people (with only one female). One of the occupants of the conference room identified all of them of as law officials and no names were given. I was asked to tell my story. I narrated my personal and professional background. 18. One of the interrogators said I was going to suffer, and I will have to make a choice of either becoming a witness to these alleged cases of military training or I become extinct as no prosecutions were to be held. [ I was also asked about my meetings with the Elders, PRESIDENT JIMMY CARTER, MRS GRACA MACHEL, MR KOFFI ANNAN. He also mentioned that I seem to drive a huge organisation and carried so much influence as there had been so much noise about my whereabouts ] He said they were not bound by the so called 48 hours and didn t need to respect such laws. 19. After a few hours of interrogation, I was taken back to my detention room. I was kept in solitary confinement all along up to the 8 th of December, when I heard increasing voices in the background and could hear someone who sounded like my Provincial Co ordinator, BRODERICK TAKAWIRA being interrogated. In the room next to mine I

5 could tell my officer PASCAL GONZO was kept in there. On 8 December 2008 I was summoned again to the interrogation room where I was told that one of my officers had indeed confessed to the ex police officer being referred to FIDELIS MUDIMU. 20. On the 13 th of December, I was asked to sign a statement; I signed the statement which had my personal background, my work history, the staff retreat and travel to Botswana, including the names of individuals whom we met in Botswana. The interrogators also compelled me to disclose on the statement all the names of the board members of ZPP and staff members. I listed all. The last part of the statement wanted me to agree to knowing and recruiting this ex-police officer named RICARDO WASHENI. I denied. 21. One of the men went out and came back with gravel, which he spread onto the floor and asked me to pull up my clothes and kneel onto the gravel. The interrogations continued whilst I was kneeling on the gravel. 22. On the 14 th of December, I had the previous day complained to one of interrogators that I need medication, for my allergies which were getting worse. I had a visit from a person who identified himself as a DR. CHIGUMIRA. Upon seeing me, he expressed shock on his face. He informed me that he was to quickly examine me, and write a prescription for my medication as he was to attend a congress that was taking place somewhere in the country. Later after he had gone I was given medication. 23. I was asked why we had gone to Botswana; I repeated the trip to Botswana was a staff retreat, which also facilitated the purchasing of basic groceries for my staff at affordable prices. I was then asked again by what appeared to different persons if, I knew who FIDELIS MUDIMU was and where he worked. I was taken again to the conference where I was called to give evidence on camera. The cameras were brought in and I gave my statement as in accordance with the signed document. 24. During this time I had overheard someone mentioning that we were at KING GEORGE VI BARRACKS, known as KGVI, I never managed to confirm this as I could

6 neither hear any sounds indicative of a military base like heavy vehicles, drills or such other activities associated with the army. I was kept in this detention room until the 22 nd of December On the 22 nd of December 2008, I was made to quickly eat, collect/gather my personal belongings, blindfolded and taken to a vehicle and we were sitting closely in the car. The vehicle took off, drove forwards, reversed, parked and drove off again for a few minutes. Still blind folded we were taken upstairs and one of the persons who had moved me from the detention place, informed me and (I believe the others, one of which later turned to be my colleague, Broderick Takawira) that were now in the hands of CHIEF SUPERITENDENT MAGWENZI, from the Law and Order Section. 26. CHIEF SUPERINTENDENT MAGWENZI, who was soft spoken told us to keep our blindfolds on, this was after Broderick Takawira s request to remove the blindfolds. We were then taken for another short distance; it appeared after taking off the blind folds that we were at BRAESIDE POLICE STATION. 27. After about 1 hour 30 minutes of being detained at HIGHLANDS POLICE STATION, I was moved to Matapi Police Station. The next day at the Criminal Investigation Department (CID) Serious Fraud Section police officers led by C/S MAGWENZI informed me that they had a search warrant to look for items at my house. This was already towards end of day if not around 17 00hours. I was shown the search warrant which I left at home and the warrant also indicated that the ZPP offices had to be searched. Before the searches commenced I was recorded a warned and cautioned statement on camera and the line of questioning had been the same, seeking to link FIDELIS MUDIMU and Counseling Services Unit. I was told that I was facing charges of contravening section 24 of the Criminal Law Codification and Reform Act. 28. I requested that I should have lawyers during the search, this was denied. I requested when I would access my lawyers when I was made to sign a warned and cautioned statement but I was told that in time the lawyer would come. 29. I was taken to a vehicle and drove to Norton, on arrival the police officers searched my house, looking for my personal laptop. They could not find it. Afterwards they seized

7 my old computer which actually does not even work, they also took with them old audio tapes from my past work as a journalist, computer information storage disks, including brochures of other human rights and democracy organisations that I work with such ZIMBABWE ELECTION SUPPORT NETWORK (ZESN), MEDIA INSTITUTE OF SOUTHERN AFRICA (MISA) and CRISIS IN ZIMBABWE COALITION. 30. No inventory of the items seized was made or provided. 31. This was the first time, I saw my family after almost 21 days of having been subjected to an enforced disappearance. 32. The police indicated that they also wanted to search my office premises. I indicated to them that by now the offices will have been closed for holidays and I didn t have access to the office. And in any event such search again should be conducted with and in the presence of my board members but they insisted that the search would be done with me only. 33. From Norton we headed to AHMED HOUSE, CID LAW AND ORDER SERIOUS CRIMES/FRAUD SECTION. After the search I was taken to MATAPI POLICE STATION. 34. On the 24 th of December 2008, I was informed of my immediate appearance before the courts to answer to charges as laid out in the warned and cautioned statement. At around 1115hours I was taken to ROTTEN ROW MAGISTRATES COURTS where I was reunited/met my colleague BRODERICK TAKAWIRA and informed that they were other seven (7) persons including a 72 year old man and a 2 year old baby who were part of the accused persons and had been kept in detention for over 55 days. At 1230hours I managed to have access to my lawyers for the first time. 35. This is all I recall in respect of my ordeal from the 3 rd of December 2008 when I was abducted from my house until the 22 nd of December when I ended up appearing at a police station and being charged of offences which I denied committing. kidnappers are still roaming free. My

8 Thus done and signed at Harare this day of December JESTINA MUNGAREHWA MUKOKO Before me.. COMMISSIONER OF OATHS