Maguwu Sneaks Out For Ireland

Sources close to the diamond rights researcher revealed Wednesday that Maguwu sneaked out of the country after it had become apparent the State was intent on barring his participation in the meeting.

“He left the country two days ago and as I am talking he is in Dublin,” said a source that cannot be named, “He deliberately avoided using the Harare International Airport where he was prevented from travelling.”

Efforts to reach Maguwu through his mobile were fruitless as it was not reachable.
 
Maguwu was on Saturday prevented from boarding a Kenyan Airways at Harare International Airport en-route to Amsterdam where he intended to connect to Dublin.

He was going to attend the Sixth Dublin Platform, a conference organised by Frontline an international organisation for human rights defenders.

The meeting starts on Wednesday and will end on Friday.

Suspected state agents pounced on Maguwu as he was going through the flight check in formalities and confiscated his HP L25 laptop, power pack, wallet, Olympus digital camera, business cards, US$2000 and bank cards, notebook and laptop bag.

The incident led to Maguwu, through his lawyers, to file an urgent chamber application seeking to compel the authorities to release his property.

The High Court has ordered the immediate release of his belongings but an enquiry with his lawyers on Wednesday indicated that he had not yet received it.

Maguwu is considered a threat to national security after he has been instrumental in publishing rampant human rights violations at the diamond rich Chiadzwa area in Marange, Manicaland.