BY OBEY MANAYITI
SENIOR MDC official and Kuwadzana legislator Charlton Hwende is seeking the assistance of Namibian police to stop the possible “abduction and rendition” to Zimbabwe in the ongoing crackdown against opposition activists.
A number of senior MDC officials have gone into hiding, fearing for their lives after the military led crackdown following disturbances that rocked the country recently.
Addressing the media on Tuesday, party leader Nelson Chamisa described the crackdown as aimed at decimating his party.
NewsDay is in possesion of a letter written to the Namibian Police’s Inspector General on Tuesday by his lawyer Norman Tjombe.
“In the course of January 2019, our client was informed, through reliable sources, that members of the Zimbabwean intelligence agency, namely the Central Intelligence Organisation (CIO) travelled to Namibia to abduct and rendition him to Zimbabwe where he is apparently wanted for treason, incitement to commit public violence and other charges,” read the letter.
“According to the information, the members of the CIO already arrived in Namibia on or before 28 January 2019.”
In the letter, Hwende’s lawyers alleged that armed security officers had surrounded the homes of senior officials and MDC legislators.
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Hwende claims there was a list in which his name appears of wanted persons and claims he would not receive a fair trial in Zimbabwe.
“We accordingly seek the protection of our client against what will be an unlawful abduction and the possible rendition of our client to Zimbabwe at the hands of the Zimbabwean Central Intelligence Organisation,” the lawyer wrote.
Hwende’s lawyers said should their client fail to be afforded the necessary protection, he would approach the Namibian High Court on an urgent basis for an appropriate order, including interdict.
On another note, MDC party’s spokesperson Jacob Mafume said they condemned yet another arrest of their organising secretary Amos Chibaya, who was nabbed moments after his release on bail by the High Court in Masvingo.
“We view both arrests of the organizer to be political, they are all about persecution and nothing to do with prosecution. The arrest is abuse of both law enforcement and the justice delivery system which is against the Constitution,” Mafume said.
