Sky News minibus used to transport Mukoko to court

SEIZED: The minibus used to transport activists to court was confiscated from a Sky News crew

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Posted to the web: 06/01/2009 02:00:08
THE Zimbabwe government has been using a vehicle seized from a Sky News crew to transport rights activists, including the former TV news anchor Jestina Mukuko, held over an alleged plot to overthrow President Robert Mugabe to and from court.

The vehicle, a red VW minibus, together with television broadcasting equipment, laptops, computers, disks, and videotape was confiscated in May last year in Bulawayo, and three Sky employees were detained.

Bernet Hasani Sono, Resemate Chauke and Simon Musimani were each subsequently sentenced to six months in jail.

In July 2008, a High Court judge reduced the sentences to fines of Z$50 billion and they were deported.

There had been speculation as to why a red VW minibus, with Gauteng registration plates HNL 223 GP, had been used so openly by police and prison authorities to transfer the activists, some of whom allege that they have been tortured and beaten while in custody.

Gauteng vehicle records show the vehicle to be the property of Kebone Tours and Transport, a tourism company based in Vorna Valley between Johannesburg and Pretoria.

Phetole Ramatseba of Kebone Tours said: "We haven’t really owned that vehicle since it was taken by the Zimbabwean state." - ZWNEWS.COM
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