Police Vow To Track Bennett

Police spokesperson Wayne Bvudzijena told Radio VOP that although the police are yet to confirm whether the stalking of Bennett was linked to the commission of an offence he said if they ascertained that he committed a crime they would arrest him.

“No one has confirmed that they are after Bennett but if a person has committed an offence we will hunt him down until we arrest him. If he (Bennett) committed a crime it would be certain that we will hunt him down,” said Bvudzijena when challenged on why police detectives were stalking the former Chimanimani legislator.

Police detectives led by Detective Inspector Muchada had over the past month been trailing the popular politician who is known as Pachedu by thousands of his MDC party supporters at several of the premises that he owns in Harare without disclosing the reasons for such an action.

The police have refused to disclose to Bennett’s lawyer, the reasons for stalking him.

But the police detectives’ unexplained actions appeared to have been exposed this week after revelations that lawyers from Chikumbirike and Associates Legal Practitioners filed summons against Bennett on behalf of High Court Judge Justice Chinembiri Bhunu claiming US$1 million in damages for defamation.

Bhunu’s lawyers are suing Bennett for alleged defamation arising from an interview he allegedly granted to a British online newspaper before his acquittal in which he allegedly insinuated that the judge was compromised.

Bennett, who is Prime Minister Morgan Tsvangirai’s pick for the portfolio of deputy agriculture minister, which has not been filled since February 2009 when Tsvangirai and President Mugabe formed a coalition government was acquitted by the High Court in May after undergoing trial on terror related charges.

However, the Attorney General (AG) Johannes Tomana has since appealed against High Court Judge, Justice Chinembiri Bhunu’s decision to acquit him.

Chief Justice Godfrey Chidyausiku recently reserved judgment after hearing submissions from both the State and Bennett’s lawyers.