By Kumbirai Mafunda
The High Court will today Monday 16 September 2019 hear an urgent chamber application filed by the family of a missing medical doctor seeking an order compelling Zimbabwean authorities to account for the whereabouts of Dr Peter Magombeyi, after he was abducted by some unknown assailants on Saturday 14 September 2019.
Elizabeth Magombeyi, a sister to Dr Magombeyi on Sunday 15 September 2019 filed an urgent habeas corpus application on behalf of her brother, seeking an order compelling the State to do all things necessary including advertising on all State-run print and broadcast media to determine the whereabouts of Dr Magombeyi, who is the President of the Zimbabwe Hospital Doctors Association, after he was kidnapped by some unknown people from his home in Budiriro high-density suburb in Harare on Saturday 14 September 2019.
Elizabeth, who is represented by Roselyn Hanzi, Alec Muchadehama, Tinotenda Shoko and Jeremiah Bamu of Zimbabwe Lawyers for Human Rights, cited Home Affairs and Cultural Heritage Minister, Minister of State for National Security in the President’s Office, Zimbabwe Republic Police (ZRP) Commissioner-General and the Director-General of the Central Intelligence Organisation as respondents to the application.
Elizabeth wants the High Court, which will hear the application on Monday 16 September 2019 at 11:AM to order the setting up of a team of investigators, to work closely and in conjunction with lawyers appointed by Zimbabwe Lawyers for Human Rights to search for Dr Magombeyi at all places within Zimbabwe as may be reasonably practical, and report on such search to the Registrar of the High Court, on every alternate Friday.
She also wants the respondents to be ordered to inquire from, and where necessary obtain any such information as may be necessary for the investigations from mobile service operators of Econet to try and locate Dr Magombeyi through tracing the mobile numbers that were on his person at the time of his abduction and mobile phone number +263 782 645 911 used to send him messages on 28 August 2019.
