Political trials of captured guerilla fighters and other Africans under Rhodesia's Law and Order (Maintenance) Act have started up again after a New Year lull.
On 6 February three men estimated to be aged 18, 19 and 22 were given the death sentence in the Salisbury High Court. KUMBUKAYI PATRICK, KENNETH NYAKUDYA and GOOD KANOKUNDA were convicted of possessing arms of war. They had been captured by Rhodesian Security Forces during an engagement in September 1975.
On 11 February, BERNARD NCUBE was sentenced to 12 years' imprisonment, 2 years of which were conditionally suspended for 5 years. He was alleged to have encouraged a BSA Police detective capable to go to Zambia for military training.
In two trials on 9 February, and again on 12 February, two unnamed men were sentenced to life imprisonment on conviction of possessing arms of war and other charges under the Law and Order (Maintenance) Act. The accused in the second case — a 17 year old — had had both legs amputated after being shot and badly injured by a patrol of South African policemen during a battle in January 1975.
On 12 February, EDWARD ZAMBUKO (20), was sentenced to 18 years' imprisonment on charges of guerilla activity. He was alleged to have been among a guerilla group who attacked and destroyed a lorry in the operational area in July 1975 and was later involved in an engagement with security forces, during which he was badly injured.
On 25 February BEN GIBSON was sentenced to death in the Salisbury High Court for allegedly identifying three men as "sell-outs". They were later murdered by "terrorists". Gibson was found guilty of murder as an accomplice.
Some political prisoners, assisted by lawyers, have been successful at the appeal stage:
NEPHAT and SIFELANI MANGENA, who were convicted of undergoing guerilla training, had their 12-year prison sentences reduced to 10 years on 3 February, 5 years of each sentence being conditionally suspended. They had been granted leave to appeal in October 1975.
Three students, aged 17 and 18, had their 7-year prison sentences set aside on 6 February on appeal against their conviction for attempting to obtain military training in Mozambique. The students, who were not named, were studying for the priesthood at St. Charles Lwanga seminary near Melsetter in the east of Rhodesia, and had allegedly set out on foot for the Mozambique border in November 1975.
On 6 February, the Appeal Court in Salisbury ordered the immediate release of an 80-year old kraalhead from Inyanga North TTL, jailed for 10 years for allegedly helping and failing to report guerillas. NYAMUKA SIXPENCE KODZAIMAMBO was described by the judge as "a very frail old man and almost blind", and his imprisonment as "inhuman". He had told the magistrate when charges were first put to him that he had cooked food for the guerillas who visited his kraal because he was afraid that, if he refused, he would be killed.
