24 August: Harari Magistrate's Court SILAS MAKONI (23), MAXWELL MUSIRA (25) and PAUL MDALA (25), all of Rugare Township, Salisbury, facing an allegation of recruiting guerillas, were remanded in custody until 7 September. (RH 25.8.76)
On 27 August, it was reported that an allegation against TITUS MUKARATI (40), the Mashonaland provincial organising secretary of the Muzorewa wing of the ANC, of assisting guerillas, had been withdrawn. Mr. Mukarati, who first appeared in Harari Magistrates Court on 15 July, had not been asked to plead and no charge had been laid against him. (See FOCUS 6, p. 15; RH 27.8.76)
9 September: Bulawayo Regional Court 2 unnamed African youths were acquitted of a charge of attempting to leave Rhodesia for guerilla training. The youths, who had been arrested at Figtree in February 1976, successfully challenged the admissability of statements alleged to have been made voluntarily. The charge was withdrawn by the prosecution after a "trial-within-a-trial". (RH 10.9.76)
7 October: Bulawayo Regional Court JAMES NKOMO and an unnamed 18-year-old youth pleaded not guilty to a charge of failing to report the presence of guerillas at their kraal near Balla Balla. The trial was held in camera and the outcome was not reported. (RH 8.10.76; see also above under SPECIAL COURTS 2 September)
6, 7, 8, 12 October: Salisbury High Court MATHIAS MUSWERA, JOSEPH MANDOMBO and NDUNA ESNATI, of the Kafura Collective Village in the Pfungwe TTL, Mrewa district, pleaded not guilty to laying a landmine and to an alternative charge of failing to report the presence of guerillas. The defence counsel, Mr. G.G. Chidyausika, challenged the statements the accused had made to the police on the grounds that the accused had been assaulted by district assistants. It was believed that at least 3 people had died in the course of these interrogations, he said. After a "trial-within-a-trial" the statements were admitted. The court was then adjourned to enable the accused to call evidence of alibis covering the time the alleged offences occurred. (RH 7/8/9/13.10.76)
