FORMER Mthwakazi Liberation Front (MLF) activist Paul Siwela, who is facing treason charges for allegedly advocating the violent overthrow of President Robert Mugabe, has made sensational claims he has been forced to skip the country in fear of being assassinated by anonymous hitmen.
Last Thursday the High Court in Bulawayo issued a warrant of arrest against Siwela after he twice failed to attend the determination of application for discharge at the Bulawayo High Court.
He was supposed to have appeared together with his co-accused Charles Thomas and John Gazi before judge Justice Nicholas Ndou.
But in a letter he penned for the attention of Justice Ndou, he charges that police failed to protect him despite informing them in advance that his life was under threat from anonymous assassins.
Part of the letter reads: “I write to inform you that I received a phone call from an anonymous caller on the midnight of August 17 2013 warning me of imminent assassination of my person. The caller reminded me of the past failed or aborted attempts and that the next attempt was scheduled to be a success and to be effected within the next 24 hours.”
His critics have been quick to say he is running scared as judgment day beckons in the treason trial and that the assassination claims could be the work of a fertile mind bordering on fiction. But Siwela has categorically stated that he did not skip bail in fear of being found guilty.
“It must be made clear and be understood that I did not run away from the pending treason trial at the High Court in Bulawayo, but escaped assassination attempts.
If my security of person is guaranteed by the government of Zimbabwe. I am prepared to be available for the conclusion of the treason trial as I honestly know and believe there is no case against me and shall be exonerated from the accusation,” Siwela wrote.
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These are serious allegations that need to be investigated by both the prosecuting authorities and police because they cast aspersions on the Judiciary and law enforcement agents.
The police on their part need to explain why they were unhelpful when Siwela needed them most and should guarantee his protection for him to return so that the allegations are probed and the anonymous hitmen smoked out.
While allegations that anonymous hitmen are on the prowl for this politician make interesting reading, it is our fervent hope that Siwela is not leading the police, the prosecution and country at large on a garden path as he seeks to deflate attention from the serious charges against him.
But if it is true that police refused to offer him protection after making reports at Queens Park Police Station, it is scandalous and requires an urgent probe.
