Zimbabwe Women Activists Held by Police on Charges of Kidnapping, Theft

  • Sithandekile Mhlanga
    Taurai Shava
Attorney Kossam Ncube of the Zimbabwe Lawyers for Human Rights told VOA reporter Sithandekile Mhlanga that 10 other women arrested with them on criminal nuisance charges were released without charges

Police in Bulawayo have charged Women of Zimbabwe Arise leaders Jenni Williams and Magodonga Mahlangu with kidnapping and theft following their arrest yesterday during a demonstration marking International Peace day, their defense counsel said Thursday.

Attorney Kossam Ncube of the Zimbabwe Lawyers for Human Rights told VOA reporter Sithandekile Mhlanga that 10 other women arrested with them on criminal nuisance charges were released Thursday after prosecutors told the police they had committed no crime.

He said the charges against Mahlangu and Williams stem from a July incident – police claimed they have been looking for the two activists ever since.

Elsewhere, the high-profile murder trial of Farai Machaya, son of midlands governor Jason Machaya, and five others, accused of killing a Gokwe man in 2009, continued Thursday in circuit High Court now in session in Gweru, Taurai Shava reported.