Maguwu, who is the director of the Centre for Research and Development (CRD) was arrested about two weeks ago when he surrendered himself to the police and has since been charged with communicating false statements prejudicial to the state after he allegedly wrote reports detailing alleged human rights abuses at the notorious Chiadzwa diamond field.
Harare magistrate Don Ndirowei on Thursday turned down Maguwu's bail application and remanded him in custody to June 23, saying he was not suitable for bail because he faces serious charges and police are yet to complete their investigations.
But SALC said in a statement on Saturday police took Maguwu from Harare remand prison to Matapi Police Station -- a notorious torture centre.
"Prominent Zimbabwean human rights defender, Farai Maguwu, was last night taken from Harare’s Remand Prison under orders of notorious Criminal Investigating Department Detective Henry Dowa and removed to Harare’s Matapi Police Station, sparking fears that Maguwu is being tortured," SALC said, adding; "His lawyers have thus far been denied access to him."
SALC said the fact that the CRD chief was moved to Matapi on the orders of Dowa, "so renowned for perpetrating abuses against Zimbabwean detainees that he was the subject of an international complaint while stationed in Kosovo under UN authority and so had to hastily return to Zimbabwe", raises serious fears for the safety and security of Maguwu.
SALC promotes and advances human rights and the rule of law in southern Africa through strategic litigation support and capacity building.
The state accuses Maguwu of having authored several documents containing false information concerning activities at Chiadzwa diamond mining fields and purported human rights abuses by the police and soldiers on panners.
Police also allege that the information was kept at his offices in Mutare, at his home and on his laptop which is in the hands of the investigating officers.
The civic society activist attracted the ire of President Robert Mugabe’s government after he gave the visiting KP monitor Abbey Chikane a report detailing human rights abuses by soldiers.
He also told Chikane that workers from two firms contracted to mine diamonds at Marange in line with KP standards were stealing diamonds for sale to foreign dealers.
Chikane was in Zimbabwe just over two weeks ago on his second visit to assess whether operations at Marange comply with KP standards, a key requirement before the world diamond industry watchdog can certify stones from the Zimbabwean field clean and fit for sale on the international market.
The KP monitor has recommended that Zimbabwe be allowed to sell diamonds from Chiadzwa. -- ZimOnline
