In jail: Zimbabwe police sergeant who dared to use Robert Mugabe's loo

Alois Mabhunu may face a year in prison for insulting the president after being caught short at trade fair

When the call of nature comes, it cannot always be denied. Few have answered it in such an unfortunate fashion as Alois Mabhunu.

While on duty at a trade fair the Zimbabwean police sergeant simply could not hold on and allegedly dashed to the nearest toilet disastrously, as it transpired, a toilet specially reserved for President Robert Mugabe.

Mabhunu's relief was thus shortlived. He was arrested and has languished in jail for two weeks on suspicion of invading the presidential privy.

The incident happened at the annual Zimbabwe international trade fair (ZITF) in the western city of Bulawayo, according to local radio station VOP .

Under the headline "Never Use Toilet Reserved For President!" VOP's website reported that Mabhunu was on duty at the ZITF grounds during its official opening by Mugabe and Jean-Louis Ekra, the president of Afreximbank.

"Mabhunu, due to the call of nature, rushed to the toilets reserved for Mugabe and his guest Ekra, but was stopped by other officers guarding the toilets," VOP said.

"Under intense pressure from the call of nature, the officer forced his way in and managed to relieve himself. He was arrested the following day on 7 May after a report was made to Mugabe's security men and to senior police officers in the city."

Mabhunu, a murder detective, is in police detention at barracks on the outskirts of Bulawayo. The legality of the case against him was challenged by Beatrice Mtetwa, one of Zimbabwe's leading human rights lawyers.

"There has to be a law saying the toilet is the president's, but this was a public one," she said. "They will have had to issue a proclamation in the government gazette specifying it. I bet they didn't do that."

Mugabe's personal space and reputatio! n as fat her of the independent nation are fiercely protected. Several motorists are said to have been assaulted by his security personnel for not giving way to the presidential motorcade.

Douglas Mwonzora, a leading member of the Movement for Democratic Change, was standing in court in March waiting for a magistrate to arrive when he looked at a portrait of Mugabe and said: "How are you, father? How is your health?"

There was mirth in the courtroom but police subsequently charged Mwonzora with insulting the president, an offence punishable by up to a year in prison.

Another man will go on trial next month charged with posting an offensive message on Facebook. Vikas Mavhudzi allegedly wrote on prime minister Morgan Tsvangirai's "wall": "What happened in Egypt is sending shockwaves to all dictators around the world. No weapon but unity of purpose. Worth emulating, hey."


guardian.co.uk Guardian News & Media Limited 2011 | Use of this content is subject to our Terms & Conditions | More Feeds


Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

'Son of star wars' base in Yorkshire finally ready to open

Peace campaigners slam secrecy over $10bn Menwith Hill project that puts UK in line of fire A "star wars" inspired defence shield that will alert the US to the launch of ballistic missiles is expected to be operational from a North Yorkshire airbase before the end of the year. The Space Based Infrared System is seen as the successor to Ronald Reagan's unrealised "star wars" programme, which would have detected Soviet missiles and shot them down using lasers. The new system, which has cost more than $10bn, has taken almost two decades to build and has been subject to numerous delays and cost overruns. The imminent completion of the project at the RAF Menwith Hill base near Harrogate has revived fears that space is in danger of becoming militarised, with Britain in the vanguard. "I find this disturbing to say the least," said a local Labour MP, Fabian Hamilton. "It's as if they are saying this is a place in the US and you are foreigners. But ha
Keep reading

Wisconsin governor prank called

Republican is duped by a caller pretending to be one of the rightwing Koch brothers, two of his wealthiest backers The Republican governor at the centre of the union-busting protests in the US has been embarrassed by a prank call that he believed was from one of his billionaire backers. On the recording of the call, which has been released online, the Republican governor of Wisconsin Scott Walker tells a caller impersonating one of the rightwing Koch brothers that he is looking forward to flying to California to celebrate with them once the battle with the unions was won, and jokes about taking a baseball bat to slug Democratic leaders. Walker is under siege in his office in the state capitol building in Madison, Wisconsin, in a backlash against his proposed legislation to remove unions' right to collective bargaining and cut public sector workers' pay. Ian Murphy, who calls in pretending to be David Koch, suggests planting troublemakers among the protesters, who have been peac
Keep reading

As China Rolls Ahead, Fear Follows

Image
As China Rolls Ahead, Fear Follows - China kept economy growing in past couple of years by printing money. Now it's feeling consequences. Inflation in consumer prices, speculative bubble in property. Milk dearer in Shanghai than in New York Agence France-Presse — Getty Images China is looking to restructure its economy away from dependence on exports like textiles. For nearly two years, China’s turbocharged economy has raced ahead with the aid of a huge government stimulus program and aggressive lending by state-run banks. But a growing number of economists now worry that China — the world’s fastest growing economy and a pillar of strength during the global financial crisis — could be stalled next year by soaring inflation, mounting government debt and asset bubbles. Two credit ratings agencies, Moody’s and Fitch Ratings , say China is still poised for growth, yet they have also recently warned about hidden risks in its banking system. Fitch even hinted at the
Keep reading