Police Officer Points Gun At Job Sikhala's Lawyer At Harare Magistrates Court
The Zimbabwe Lawyers for Human Rights (ZLHR) has condemned the harassment of lawyer Harrison Nkomo, including having a gun pointed at him, by police officers at the Harare Magistrates Court, recently.
In a statement, ZLHR said that Nkomo, who is representing former Zengeza West MP, Job Sikhala, was harassed while discharging his professional duties as a lawyer.
ZLHR stated that there is a worrying pattern of harassment and persecution of lawyers by police officers, saying this undermines the rule of law. Reads the statement:
Zimbabwe Lawyers for Human Rights (ZLHR) is gravely concerned by the harassment and intimidation of Harrison Nkomo, a senior legal practitioner, by some Zimbabwe Republic Police (ZRP) officers at Harare Magistrates Court, while discharging his professional duties as a lawyer.
Nkomo, a member of ZLHR, is the lead lawyer representing former Zengeza West legislator Hon. Job Sikhala, who is on trial on charges of allegedly inciting public violence and allegedly communicating falsehoods.
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WhatsApp: 0783 450 793He was on Wednesday 24 January 2024 stopped by some ZRP officers from entering a courtroom at Harare Magistrates Court, where the trial was taking place and had a firearm pointed at him despite having identified himself to the police.
In court, Sikhala’s other lawyer Jeremiah Bamu of ZLHR, protested against the ill-treatment of his colleague before Magistrate Tafadzwa Miti, who ordered the prosecution to investigate the circumstances of the incident and submit a report in court.
ZLHR strongly condemns this unwarranted interference in the work of a professional legal practitioner and the subsequent reckless threat to his life, which emanated from having a firearm pointed at him.
Law enforcement agents must respect the rights of legal practitioners and stop attacks on lawyers while carrying out legitimate and professional duties.
This is the latest in a series of instances of harassment and persecution of lawyers by police officers in a worrying pattern of repression against legal practitioners in Zimbabwe.
As law enforcement agents, whose mandate includes protecting and securing the lives of people, ZRP officers must adequately protect the safety of citizens including legal practitioners and end the culture of impunity in which these worrying attacks occur.
Ill-treating legal practitioners in the manner in which Nkomo was treated, creates a real risk of violence against lawyers, and undermines the rule of law.
According to the United Nations (UN) Basic Principles on the Role of Lawyers, governments should ensure that all persons within their jurisdiction have effective and equal access to lawyers of their own choosing and that lawyers are able to perform their professional functions without intimidation, hindrance, harassment or improper interference.
The UN Basic Principles on the Role of Lawyers require that lawyers are adequately protected when their security is threatened because of carrying out their legitimate professional duties, and not be identified with their clients or their clients’ causes.
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