High Court judge Justice Makonese on 1 August 2020 ordered the police to investigate the whereabouts of Tawanda Muchehiwa and produce the outcome to the Magistrates Courts at Tredgold Building in Zimbabwe’s second city of Bulawayo within 72 hours.
The court ordered that the 72 hours commenced from 1400hrs on 1 August 2020. Muchehiwa is the nephew of ZimLive editor, Mduduzi Mathuthu.
This court order followed an urgent chamber application filed by lawyer Nqobani Sithole, on behalf of MISA Zimbabwe on 31 July 2020 for a habeas corpus in favour of Muchehiwa. The applicant, MISA Zimbabwe, was represented in court by lawyer Zibusiso Ncube.
Read: Media lawyer Sithole files urgent chamber application
Read: Police ransack Zimlive editor’s home
Muchehiwa’s whereabouts remain unknown following his arrest at Mathuthu’s home in Mahatshula Suburb in Bulawayo on 30 July 2020. He was arrested together with relatives, Amandlenkosi Mathuthu and Advent Mathuthu.
Mathuthu remains in hiding after police ransacked his home on 30 July 2020.
The police are claiming that they are unaware of Muchehiwa’s whereabouts despite his last known location being that of having been in the custody of the police at Bulawayo Central Police Station.
Officer-in-Charge of CID Law and Order Section Bulawayo and the Officer Commanding Police Bulawayo Province, are cited as the first and second respondents in the matter, respectively.
