CHARLES Thomas, one of the Mthwakazi Liberation Front (MLF) leaders facing treason charges, has told a High Court judge that he was brutally assaulted by police as they tried to force information from him.“For more than two hours I was severely assaulted by police officers at Entumbane Police Station who interrogated me about MLF. They only stopped when my wife
arrived at the charge office to see me,” Thomas told Justice Nicholas Ndou
on Wednesday. “Detectives from Law and Order section came to pick me and I was tied to a beam on the back of a truck as they drove to Bulawayo Central Police Station where I was subjected to further beating until my face was swollen and I started bleeding from the mouth.
“I told them I was on medication but they denied me access to my tablets for four days despite the fact that my wife had brought them to the police station until a magistrate ordered that I be taken to hospital. ”Thomas also alleged that police forced him to drink volumes of water which they would take turns to bring in five-litre containers as part of the torture.
The prosecution team of Lovack Masuku and Samuel Pedzisayi insist
that Thomas was seen by detectives distributing anti-government fliers but
he denied saying “they were liars.” Thomas’ lawyers Advocate Lucas Nkomo assisted by Robert Ndlovu maintain that he never tried to provoke mutiny or street protests to overthrow the government.
Another MLF leader John Gazi was acquitted in December while their
leader Paul Siwela is in self-imposed exile, believed to be Sweden. It is alleged that between March 1 and 3, 2011, the MLF leaders acted in common purpose and conspired to incite Zimbabweans to rise against the government.
Police alleged that Thomas distributed fliers which contained messages
calling on members of the public and the army to rise against the government.
The trial continues on Thursday.
Aliqunywe Mthwakazi...
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