White Zimbabwean opposition MP Roy Bennett (44), his bodyguard and a South African national were released on Tuesday on bail two days after being arrested by secret police, lawyers said.
Bennett’s security aide, Mike Magwaza, was subjected to ”prolonged assault” by agents of the Central Intelligence Organisation, President Robert Mugabe’ s secret police, said lawyer Arnold Tsunga.
Bennett was unhurt, while South African Stuart Gervin had been ”slapped around.” The three were arrested on Sunday at a roadblock in Bennett’s constituency of Chimanimani in south-east Zimbabwe during local government elections on Sunday, on allegations of taking photographs of a polling booth.
Two weeks ago Mugabe declared that Bennett and other white MPs ”belong in prison.” Witnesses said Magwaza was assaulted almost immediately after he was taken into custody.
Meanwhile, police arrested a member of parliament from the country’s main opposition party.
The Movement for Democratic Change (MDC) said Tichaona Munyanyi, an MP for the low-income Harare suburb of Mbare, was arrested early on Tuesday morning. No reason for his arrest was given.
Police representative Wayne Bvudzijena could not confirm Munyanyi’s arrest when contacted for comment. – Sapa-DPA