Zim's Arrested Diamond Activist's Life In Danger

Maguwu’s lawyer Beatrice Mtetwa told High Court Judge Justice Chinembiri Bhunu on Wednesday that some unidentified police officers who booked him out of remand prison had changed the medication, which he was taking to cure a sore throat, chest pains and fever and given him new medication without being subjected to a medical examination.

“His life is endangered. His medication has been interrupted. When it was resumed it had been substituted with medicine of unknown origins and having not been seen by a doctor it’s not known who prescribed this substitute medicine,” said Mtetwa.

In response to Mtetwa’s concerns Justice Chinembiri Bhunu, who presided over the bail hearing lodged by Maguwu’s lawyers ordered the rights activist to be examined by a medical doctor of his choice.

“It is ordered that a doctor of his choice be granted access to the accused person forthrightly,” said Bhunu in his ruling.

The bail hearing will resume on Thursday afternoon.

Maguwu, the director of the Centre for Research and Development (CRD), was arrested early this month for allegedly publishing falsehoods against the State with the intention to cause prejudice to the security or economic interests of the country.

Last week, Harare Magistrate Don Ndirowei dismissed his application for bail, prompting his lawyers to appeal the lower court’s decision in the High Court.