Peace prayer congregants released – but Mukoyi further detained
This statement from Zimbabwe Lawyers for Human Rights shares the latest on the congregants who were arrested at a prayer for peace on Saturday.
Police maliciously incarcerate Mukoyi as they release 12 others on summons
Police on Monday 11 April 2011 kept in custody Shakespeare Mukoyi, one of the congregants who was arrested on Saturday 9 April 2011, when police suppressed a church service and released 12 pastors and congregants, who were arrested while attending the prayer meeting in Glen Norah suburb of Harare.
The police released the 12 congregants, who include Pastors Pastor Mukome, the Resident Priest at the Nazarene Church, Pastor Isaya on Monday evening after charging them with contravening Section 36 of the Criminal Law (Codification and Reform) Act and indicated that they would proceed by way of summons if need be.
After the release of the other congregants police detained Mukoyi overnight in grubby police cells at Harare Central Police Station and pressed another charge of assault against him. The police, who recorded a warned and cautioned statement from Mukoyi on Tuesday 12 April 2011 in the presence of his lawyer Marufu Mandevere of Mbidzo, Muchadehama and Makoni Legal Practitioners, who is a member of Zimbabwe Lawyers for Human Rights charged him with contravening Section 89 of the Criminal Law (Codification and Reform) Act for allegedly assaulting a police officer.
By lunchtime on Tuesday, the police had not yet taken Mukoyi to court as they were reportedly waiting to be furnished with medical affidavits detailing the injuries sustained by the police officer who was allegedly assaulted by Mukoyi.
Mukoyi and 13 other congregants were arrested by anti-riot police on Saturday 9 April 2011 during a church service organised to pray for peace in Glen Norah. But one juvenile was released after the arrest on Saturday before the police freed 12 congregants on Monday night on summons.