VZCZCXRO6375
PP RUEHBZ RUEHDU RUEHJO RUEHMR RUEHRN
DE RUEHSB #0533/01 1661101
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
P 151101Z JUN 07
FM AMEMBASSY HARARE
TO RUCNSAD/SOUTHERN AFRICAN DEVELOPMENT COMMUNITY PRIORITY
RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC PRIORITY 1602
INFO RUCNSAD/SOUTHERN AFRICAN DEVELOPMENT COMMUNITY
RUEHUJA/AMEMBASSY ABUJA 1630
RUEHAR/AMEMBASSY ACCRA 1497
RUEHDS/AMEMBASSY ADDIS ABABA 1634
RUEHBY/AMEMBASSY CANBERRA 0900
RUEHDK/AMEMBASSY DAKAR 1262
RUEHKM/AMEMBASSY KAMPALA 1690
RUEHNR/AMEMBASSY NAIROBI 4102
RUEHFR/AMEMBASSY PARIS 1459
RUEHRO/AMEMBASSY ROME 2120
RUEHBS/USEU BRUSSELS
RUEHGV/USMISSION GENEVA 0759
RHEHAAA/NSC WASHDC
RUCNDT/USMISSION USUN NEW YORK 1851
RHMFISS/JOINT STAFF WASHDC
RUEHC/DEPT OF LABOR WASHDC
RUEATRS/DEPT OF TREASURY WASHDC
RHEFDIA/DIA WASHDC//DHO-7//
RUCPDOC/DEPT OF COMMERCE WASHDC
RUFOADA/JAC MOLESWORTH RAF MOLESWORTH UK//DOOC/ECMO/CC/DAO/DOB/DOI//
RUEPGBA/CDR USEUCOM INTEL VAIHINGEN GE//ECJ23-CH/ECJ5M//

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 HARARE 000533 
 
SIPDIS 
 
SENSITIVE 
SIPDIS 
 
AF/S FOR S. HILL 
NSC FOR SENIOR AFRICA DIRECTOR B. PITTMAN 
STATE PASS TO USAID FOR L.DOBBINS AND E.LOKEN 
TREASURY FOR J. RALYEA AND T.RAND 
COMMERCE FOR BECKY ERKUL 
ADDIS ABABA FOR USAU 
ADDIS ABABA FOR ACSS 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: PGOV PHUM PREL ASEC ZI
SUBJECT: STATE CASE IN PETROL BOMB ATTACKS CONTINUES TO 
CRUMBLE 
 
REF: HARARE 241 
 
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Summary 
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¶1. (SBU) The GOZ's case against 32 MDC activists accused of 
carrying out March 13 petrol bomb attacks continued to 
crumble last week as the state withdrew the charges against 
thirteen of the accused.  MDC Election Coordinator Ian 
Makone, along with six others, was released on June 7 after 
spending more than 60 days behind bars.  Twenty further 
activists accused in the case remain in state custody. 
According to the defense, the arrestees were beaten in 
custody and denied medical attention.  End Summary 
 
--------------------------------- 
Court Frees Makone and Six Others 
--------------------------------- 
 
¶2. (SBU) On June 7, lower court Magistrate Gloria Takundwa 
ordered the release of Makone, Luke Tamborinyika and 11 other 
MDC activists who had been accused of carrying out petrol 
bomb attacks in Harare, Gweru, Mutare and Chitungwiza on 
March 13 (reftel).  Magistrate Takundwa found that the GOZ 
had failed to provide sufficient evidence to sustain the 
charges.  Of the thirteen, seven were immediately released. 
The other six face additional charges and remain in 
detention.  Among them is MDC MP for Glen View Paul Madzore, 
accused of receiving &training as a bandit, saboteur, 
terrorist or insurgent8 in South Africa.  Lawyers for these 
six and 14 other remaining detainees have filed several court 
applications for their release.  (Five other detainees had 
already been released quietly in past weeks.) Judgments on 
these applications are expected on June 18, 2007. 
 
------------------------------------- 
Physical Well-Being ) Ongoing Concern 
------------------------------------- 
 
¶3. (SBU) Lawyers for the accused told pol assistant that all 
of the detainees had been beaten by state agents while in 
custody.  All had subsequently requested medical attention, 
but only MDC deputy national organizing secretary Morgan 
Komichi was provided treatment; he was admitted to a private 
hospital where he is still being held under close prison 
guard. 
 
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Comment 
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¶4. (SBU) The GOZ,s "fishing expedition" is beginning to work 
against it.  The failure to present incriminating evidence 
indicates that the Government never had a case to begin with. 
 It also lends credence to the defense's contention that the 
state itself carried out the attacks and then used them as a 
cover to harass and intimidate key opposition officials. 
There is some uncertainty about the exact number of detainees 
 
HARARE 00000533  002 OF 002 
 
 
and charges, as the case has been shrouded in confusion and 
uncertainty from the start.  Nevertheless, local human rights 
attorneys are fairly confident that it will collapse in the 
Government's face. 
DELL