Opposition leader arrested, detained

Source: Opposition leader arrested, detained – DailyNews Live

Jeffrey Muvundusi      20 August 2017

BULAWAYO – Police on Friday night arrested the leader of a new opposition
party, the Zimbabwe Economic Freedom Fighters (ZEFF) soon after addressing
journalists at the Bulawayo Media Centre.

He was charged with violating immigration laws.

The United Kingdom-based Innocent Ndibali who is in the country to drum up
support for his party was taken away by plain-clothes officers from the
Law an Order section while he was still at the media centre in full view
of the journalists.

He was taken to the Bulawayo Central Police Station where he was detained
for a night until his release yesterday morning.

He is set to appear in court tomorrow.

“They took me to Bulawayo Central Police Station for intensive
interrogations which lasted over three hours,” Ndibali told journalists
soon after his release.

“They (police) were professional in their conduct and they were quiet
forthcoming on my rights and explained things they believe went wrong in
so far as contravening immigration sections since I used a British
passport coming to Zimbabwe,” he said.

Meanwhile, Bulawayo Media Centre chairperson Pamenus Tuso condemned the
police for arresting their suspects at the media centre.

“While we acknowledge that it is within their right to conduct their
duties wherever and whenever and arrest people for whatever reason
anywhere and anyhow, we feel they must have arrested him outside the
environs of the media centre,” Tuso said.

He said that was tantamount to intimidating journalists.

“We invite guests here from all over the world to interact with us and the
police should not wait for our guest to pitch up here then they arrest
them more so in our environs.

“It will not be surprising if other political actors refuse to come to the
media centre fearing arrest,” said Tuso.

ZEFF is one of the many opposition parties that seek to challenge
President Robert Mugabe’s rule come 2018.