BY CHARLES LAITON
VICE-PRESIDENT Kembo Mohadi (pictured), together with his 15 other co-defendants have agreed to pay $85 000 compensation to MDC activist Pieta Kaseke, who was abducted by State security agents in 2008.
Kaseke was abducted during the era of the inclusive government when Mohadi (Zanu PF) and Giles Mutsekwa (MDC-T) were Home Affairs co-ministers. The deed of settlement, presented before High Court judge Justice Edith Mushore last week, is dated October 15, 2019.
“The defendants (Mohadi, Mutsekwa and 14 others) shall, jointly and severally the one paying the other to be absolved, pay plaintiff the following amounts in full and final settlement of this matter: $35 000 as damages for unlawful arrest and detention, $35 000 as damages for assault, pain, shock and suffering and $10 000 being costs of suit,” read part of the deed of settlement.
“The above amount of $80 000 due to the plaintiff (Kaseke) shall be paid within 30 days of this deed of settlement being signed by the parties. Payment of the above amount shall be made, free of bank charges, through plaintiff’s legal practitioners of record…”
According to court papers, Kaseke had in July 2009 claimed US$1, 2 million compensation from Mohadi, Mutsekwa, former Justice minister Patrick Chinamasa, former State Security minister Didymus Mutasa, former police Commissioner-General Augustine Chihuri, ex-CIO director-general Happyton Bonyongwe, senior assistant commissioners Nyathi and Chiobvu and several other senior police officers.
Kaseke said she was abducted on October 31, 2008 in Banket during which time several other MDC-T activists also fell victim to the countrywide abductions and were eventually charged on “trumped up offences” of banditry, sabotage and terrorism.
Soon after being released from detention following a pact between the late former President Robert Mugabe and the late MDC-T president Morgan Tsvangirai, Kaseke approached the High Court for compensation.
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At some point towards the end of last year, the matter was set down for hearing only to be removed from the roll as parties were negotiating an out-of-court settlement and since then, the matter remained pending.
According to court papers, Kaseke was abducted on October 31, 2008 by police officers and handed over to CIO operatives who subjected her to further unlawful detention and torture.
Kaseke was abducted at a time the Zimbabwe Peace Project director Jestina Mukoko was also in custody facing banditry charges.
