Aides to the Zimbabwean prime minister have been arrested on unknown charges. The news came as vote counting was under way in a constitutional referendum. The three senior aides to Prime Minister Tsvangirai were arrested on Sunday. Later, Alex Magaisa, another of Tsvangirai’s advisors, told the AFP news agency that police gave no reason for the arrests. “They raided the house of the principal director responsible for research and development in the PM’s office,” said Alex Magaisa, an advisor to Tsvangirai. “He was arrested as well as his two subordinates. We don’t know the charges, but they picked up computers and a camera.” Beatrice Mtetwa, a leading human rights lawyer, was also detained.
The DPA news agency quoted the occupational organization Zimbabwe Lawyers for Human Rights as saying Mtetwa had been arrested “on allegations of obstructing … the course of justice,” after providing legal assistance to one of the Tsvangirai’s aides who was arrested.
The arrests came a day after Zimbabweans went to the polls to vote on the country’s new constitution.
Full Article: allAfrica.com: Zimbabwe: Arrests Overshadow Referendum Vote.