LAST 3 ABDUCTEES RELEASED, AGAINST GOZ WISHES

UNCLAS HARARE 000332 SENSITIVE SIPDIS AF/S FOR B. WALCH DRL FOR N. WILETT ADDIS ABABA FOR USAU ADDIS ABABA FOR ACSS STATE PASS TO NSC FOR SENIOR AFRICA DIRECTOR MICHELLE GAVIN E.O. 12958: N/A TAGS: PHUM KDEM PGOV PREL ASEC ZI SUBJECT: LAST 3 ABDUCTEES RELEASED, AGAINST GOZ WISHES REF: A. HARARE 29 ¶B. HARARE 18 ¶C. 08 HARARE 1121 ¶D. 08 HARARE 1029 ¶1. (U) On Friday April 17, journalist Andrisson Shadreck Manyere, Tsvangirai advisor Gandhi Mudzingwa, and Chris (Kisimu) Dhlamini were released on US$1,000 bail. The three men were abducted between October and December 2008 and are charged, along with four others, of bombing several Zimbabwe police stations in 2008. On April 9, High Court Justice Charles Hungwe granted the men bail, but the State blocked their release by notifying the Judge they intended to appeal. Since the State failed to file the actual appeal within seven days, the men were released on bail on April 17. ¶2. (U) Approximately 29 others were reported abducted between October and December; seven are believed to still be missing (reftels). No one is sure where they are -- they may be dead, in State custody, or in hiding in South Africa or elsewhere. All political detainees whose whereabouts were known have now been released. ¶3. (U) Trial dates have been set for some the other abductees, who are divided into three trials: -- June 8: Some of those accused of recruiting insurgents: Fidelis Chiramba, Concilia Chinanzvavana, Emmanuel Chinanzvavana, Pieta Kaseke, Violet Mupfuranhehwe, and Collen Mutemagau -- June 29: The "bombers": Chris Dhlamini, Gandhi Mudzingwa, Andrisson Manyere, Zachariah Nkomo, Regis Mujeyi, and Mapfumo Garutsa -- July 20: The remaining recruiters: Jestina Mukoko, Broderick Takawira, and Audrey Zimbudzana ¶4. (SBU) COMMENT: While new incidents of politically motivated arrests and abductions have declined sharply, these ongoing cases demonstrate that the office of Attorney General Johannes Tomana is not turning a new page. The ongoing mystery of the whereabouts of the other seven MDC activists reported abducted over four months ago has steadily fallen from public view. We are grateful that all of the abductees confirmed in State custody have finally been released -- even if it comes as a result of a technicality -- but remain concerned that they continue to face these serious, trumped up charges that Tomana shows no sign of dropping. END COMMENT. MCGEE