THE seven former Zupco employees, who were arrested on Tuesday after they allegedly trespassed into the company premises in Bulawayo demanding their outstanding salaries and pensions, were released on Wednesday night following the intervention of the Zimbabwe Lawyers for Human Rights.
BY SILAS NKALA
The accused — Lucas Munyika (51), Raphael Gadzira (73), Albert Ndebele (73), Gorrden Goredema (63), Wickson Chikinda (62), Hebert Mpezani (52) and Charles Ncube (60) — were released into the custody of their lawyer, Lizwe Jamela after spending a night detained at Mzilikazi Police Station.
In a statement yesterday, the human rights lawyers accused police of overreacting, claiming the trespass charge was inapplicable in the matter because the demonstration had been cleared by the same law enforcement agents.
“Although police had sanctioned their protest, some overzealous officials from Zupco locked the former employees out of the State-run bus company’s premises. The former employees only managed to gain entry into the premises on Tuesday evening before Zupco authorities called in the police,” ZLHR said.
“Munyika, Gadzira, Ndebele, Goredema, Chikinda, Mpezani and Ncube were arrested even though police had sanctioned the former Zupco employees’ protest, which was scheduled to run for two days from Monday to Wednesday at the State-run bus company’s depot in Khami after they had formally notified the law enforcement agents about their demonstration.”
Police said they will proceed by way of summons.
