A further 17 names of people sentenced to death under the Law and Order (Maintenance) Act have been received since the last edition of FOCUS went to press, bringing the total number of death sentences imposed on political grounds since April 1975 to at least 104. Of these, 5 people are known to have had their sentences commuted on appeal to life imprisonment or less.
In a letter to the Commonwealth Secretary-General in London, written during the 1977 Commonwealth Conference, the President of the African National Council of Zimbabwe, Joshua Nkomo, pointed out that "the Rhodesian regime is hanging many Africans every Monday on flimsy pretexts and framed up charges and as I write there are 15 known Africans on the hanging row, who are due to be hanged any Monday from now. Some of them may have been hanged already".
Mr Nkomo revealed that he had received a note smuggled out of Salisbury prison to his office in Lusaka, written on a piece of toilet paper. The note, reproduced in full for the Secretary-General, read: "Many of my comrades have been hanged privately. They hang every Monday. These names should be sent to the Red Cross International so that officials of the Red Cross should come and see the condemned people. The ANC Zimbabwe should work with the Red Cross if you want the Government to stop killing people. The Red Cross should reveal these names to the press and demand our release. Because of these names the Government can't deny it." A list of 15 names was attached.
The Smith regime continues to refuse permission to the International Red Cross to see convicted prisoners or persons detained under 30 and 60 day detention orders. It was reported at the end of May that the two delegates of the Red Cross stationed in Zimbabwe had just completed a round of visits to all long term detainees.
In a press release issued in London on 10 June 1977, the ANC (Zimbabwe) warned of a "general threat against our party members that the regime will exterminate all Nkomo lieutenants within the country". Two senior officials of the ANC(Z), Pinos Zehama and Robert Bhebe, have been sentenced to death in recent weeks on charges under the Law and Order (Maintenance) Act.
STOP PRESS It was reported on 1 July that nearly 100 members and party officials of the African National Council (Zimbabwe) had been arrested and detained by Rhodesian police in the past 24 hours. According to Mr Josiah Chinamano, the Vice-President of the ANC(Z) only one man was known to have been detained in the Salisbury area, where many of the senior party leaders live. A spokesman for the regime confirmed that a number of Africans had been detained on suspicion of supporting and aiding "terrorist movements" but was unable to give figures.
Death sentences — News has been received of the sentencing to death on 24 June by a Special Court in Gwanda of MAHLATINI SAMBULO NDHLOVU, on charges of recruiting and assisting guerillas. This brings the total number of people sentenced to death on Law and Order (Maintenance) Act charges since April 1975 to 105, 5 of whom have been successful on appeal. ROBERT BHEBE, and PINOS ZEHAMA, the two leading (ANC(Z)) officials sentenced to death earlier this year, had their appeals dismissed as FOCUS was going to press. In addition, appeals against death sentences imposed on MARTIN CHIRIPUNYANYA, THOMAS MUROYI, MILTON MANDEYA-WYIKE, RAINOS KASIMBE and JAMES MAKAHA were dismissed in June.
5 April: Special Court, Salisbury MARTIN CHIRIPUNYANYA (20), from the Mount Darwin area, was sentenced to death for having offensive weapons and for murder. A member of a guerilla group which operated in the Mount Darwin area between January 1976 and February 1977. He had allegedly been involved in the killing of a Chesa Purchase Area farmer in December and had been captured after being shot and wounded by security forces.
7 April: Special Court, Salisbury RABSON MUSHONJA (26), and an unnamed 18-year-old youth were both sentenced to death on conviction of possessing arms of war in the Tanda TTL, east of Rusape, in January 1977. They had been wounded and captured in an engagement with security forces. Before passing sentence the court president, Mr Justice Beck, said that imposing the death penalty on the youth was a "most unwelcome feature". However, the youth's age was "by no means an unusual age for terrorists and his evidence revealed that he is a youth of intelligence and imagination". There was insufficient reason to think that the youth had "tried to dissociate himself from the terrorist cause".
19 April: Salisbury High Court ISAAC MABIKA (28), from the Mount Darwin area, was sentenced to death for possessing arms of war. A member of a guerilla group in contact with security forces in October 1976 in the Zimbiti TTL, Inyanga, he had been wounded by shots fired from a helicopter operating as part of a joint air and ground mission.
In a case first reported at the appeal stage on 23 April, DUMOSANI SEHLEKLEKILE had his appeal dismissed against a death sentence imposed for acts of terrorism or sabotage and for possessing arms of war. He had placed a landmine on a railway line near Victoria Falls which had been detonated by a train. He had also laid a landmine on a road, resulting in two deaths, and had allegedly "abducted" recruits for training. An appeal against the death penalty by SIDNEY KAPUMBA (24) was also dismissed.
Others known to have been sentenced to death under the Law and Order (Maintenance) Act in recent months, and not previously reported in FOCUS, include: ROBERT BHEBE — an official of the Eastern Province (Umtali) of the ANC (Zimbabwe) sentenced to death on 10 March 1977 by a Special Court in Umtali. Robert Bhebe had previously been detained for several years at Buffalo Range. He was released along with a number of other detainees over the period December 1974–January 1975, and later went to live with his family near Umtali. ANDREW CHIKUKWA, JAMES CHIRIMA, FOSIAS HAWA, EMMANUEL MUKONDO — all allegedly members of guerilla groups and convicted of possessing arms of war by a Special Court in Bindura in January 1977. Appeals in all cases dismissed in March. KUNEMOTO MAFURERE — convicted in April 1977 and later reported in a note smuggled out to the ANC(Z) to be awaiting execution in Salisbury prison. GILBERT MUSHOGO — convicted in April 1977. THOMAS MUROYI — an alleged guerilla charged with possessing arms of war and sentenced to death by a Special Court in Umtali in March 1977. Awaiting execution in Salisbury prison according to a note smuggled out to the ANC(Z) and dated 17 May 1977. SLY (Silayi) NDEBELE — an alleged guerilla who entered Zimbabwe in July 1976. Arrested in Bulawayo in August and sentenced to death by a Special Court in December for possessing arms of war. Appeal dismissed in January 1977. KINGWALLACE CHIMBABA, JAMISON KASILI, TALPHANOS MOYO — all reported to be awaiting execution in Salisbury prison according to a note smuggled out to the ANC (Z) and dated 17 May 1977. In addition, the ANC(Z) received the names of four persons awaiting execution who cannot be positively identified — viz. MILTON, ALI-MOS, KEMBO and BAINOS.
MEMBERSHIP CARDS BANNED Action has been taken to prevent the recently formed People's Movement — an organisation of ZANU supporters inside Zimbabwe — from mobilising its followers. An order was issued in April under the terms of the Law and Order (Maintenance) Act banning the issue of receipts for subscriptions or donations or any form of membership document. Receipts issued by the United African National Council and the ANC (Zimbabwe) were banned in May 1976.
