Beatrice Mtetwa challenges ED

Prominent human rights lawyer Beatrice Mtetwa has penned down an open letter to government authorities following the abduction and torture of three female MDC activists. The feisty and loud spoken lawyer condemned the treatment of the three activists and posed some questions to those in power.

Joanna Mamombe, Cecilia Chimbiri and Christine Marova were abducted and disapeared on 13 May 2020. They were part of a group of people that took to the street to protest against hunger during the lockdown. They were subsequently found dumped near Musana two days later. They had been beaten, forced to eat raw sewage and raped at gunpoint.

Mtetwa lamented such treatment and asked the head of defence forces why he has not springing to action to catch the culprits when it was apparent that those who have the privilege to hold guns are people under his command. She went on to ask the police commissioner how the trio had purportedly been handed over to third parties when they were initially arrested by the police.

Mtetwa’s emotional letter highlights her feelings towards intimidation of women so that they are dissuaded from taking part in politics. She questioned whether this was how things were done in the new dispensation

Mtetwa had her fair share of being tortured during the Mugabe era. She was once arrested and charged for speaking out against the Mugabe regime.

Abductions have become a common in Zimbabwe. Last year a spate of abductions crippled the country. It included comedian Gonyeti and musician Platinum prince. On all occasions, the security forces have denied any involvement, citing that a third party is involved