Sometimes, people are arrested or even found guilty for crimes they did not commit. This is a terrible injustice that can cause a lot of pain and suffering. Being falsely accused and convicted is a very painful experience, and it happens more often than we think. There are many reasons why someone could be wrongly accused. These reasons include mistakes in identifying people, false statements, bad evidence, or even a weak defense. Sometimes, the police or prosecutors might focus on one person and ignore other important information that could prove their innocence.

This is exactly what happened to a well-known human rights activist from Zimbabwe named Namatai Kwekweza. On 1 August, she was arrested at Robert Gabriel Mugabe International Airport in Harare while she was boarding a flight to Victoria Falls. Namatai is a brave woman who is known for standing up for human rights in Zimbabwe. She has been targeted by the police many times before. In 2023, she even won the Kofi Annan NextGen Democracy Prize for her hard work in promoting democracy and human rights. But despite her good work, she was arrested along with three other activists: Robson Chere, Samuel Gwenzi, and Vusumuzi Moyo.

The government said these four activists were part of a protest that took place after the arrest of an opposition leader named Jameson Timba and 78 other people. The government accused them of causing public disorder near the court. Timba and the other 78 people were arrested because they gathered to remember Youth Day on 16 June at a house in Avondale, Harare. The government has been cracking down on civil society and opposition activists because there is a big Southern African Development Community summit coming up in Harare on 17 August. President Emmerson Mnangagwa is under pressure politically because of this summit.

After the arrests, it was reported that one of the activists, Robson Chere, was badly tortured by the police. It is believed that Chere may have suffered serious injuries, including kidney damage. Chere, Namatai, and the others were charged under the Criminal Law (Codification and Reform) Act. The government claims that on 27 June, Namatai and the other activists protested outside the magistrate’s court in Harare. They were accused of disturbing public peace.

However, there is clear evidence that proves Namatai could not have been part of this protest. According to travel records, Namatai was not even in Harare at the time. She had left Harare on 23 June 2024 on an Airlink flight to South Africa. She only returned to Harare on 28 June 2024 on a Fastjet flight. This means Namatai was not even in the country on the day the government claims she was protesting. It is impossible for her to have been in two places at the same time.

Namatai’s wrongful arrest has caused her a lot of pain and suffering. She has lost her freedom, suffered both physically and emotionally, and faced financial burdens due to the legal process. Her reputation has also been damaged. In addition, her relationships with her family and friends may have been affected because of this situation.

In a fair legal system, a person is supposed to be innocent until they are proven guilty. This is a basic principle of justice and the rule of law. However, in Zimbabwe, it seems like the opposite is true. Many people are treated as guilty until they can prove that they are innocent. This was also the case for Job Sikhala, another activist who faced similar injustice. His case was also a violation of the constitution and the justice system.

Namatai Kwekweza’s case is a painful reminder of how fragile justice can be. It shows us that the legal system must truly respect the presumption of innocence and follow the rule of law. No one should have to suffer for a crime they did not commit.