Paul Nyathi
The authorof the Facebook page “Beatrice Mtetwa And The Rule Of Law,” Laurie Conway has come out and challenged the Harare Magistrates Court to get her to court to prove she is the brains behind the page.
This comes after Prosecutor Whisper Mabhaudhi Thursday filed an application with Harare Magistrate Ngoni Nduna seeking to bar Beatrice Mtetwa from representing jailed journalist Hopewell Chin’ono accusing Mtetwa of professional misconduct.
The State alleges Mtetwa has been posting Hopewell Chin’ono court case proceedings on the page “Beatrice Mtetwa and the Rule of Law” Facebook page.
Mabhaudhi told the court Mtetwa acted unprofessionally by posting on the alleged Facebook Page her client court and detention updates.
Mtetwa told the court that she does not own the Facebook Page established in her name.
“I am not on Facebook. It does not belong to me. It belongs to Laurie Conway who made that documentary,” Mtetwa told journalists later at Harare Magistrate Court Thursday.
Beatrice Mtetwa and the Rule of Law is a film documentary by Conway which highlights the importance of the rule of law by focusing on Beatrice Mtetwa legal work in Zimbabwe.
Chin’ono is a co-producer of the documentary was also asked to take the witness stand to explain the origins of the Facebook page.
Conway wrote on the page:
To the Prosecutor in Zimbabwe:
I am the author of this page and write every word of it from my office in Boston, Massachusetts.
I am the producer of the film, Beatrice Mtetwa and the Rule of Law.
You will also see in the messages that I have written REPEATEDLY that Beatrice Mtetwa DOES NOT monitor this page and I list her office phone number in Harare for those who are asking to reach her.
Hopewell Chin’ono HAS NOTHING TO DO WITH THESE POSTS. IF YOU SAY OTHERWISE, YOU ARE MISINFORMED.
PERHAPS I SHOULD COME TO HARARE AND TESTIFY UNDER OATH AND YOU CAN CROSS EXAMINE ME? IF SO, TELL ED TO SEND HIS PRIVATE PLANE TO LOGAN AIRPORT TO PICK ME UP…
Strong governments do not PERSECUTE BY PROSECUTION, rather allow people free speech and actions to participate in the governing process.
#FREE HOPEWELL, Signed, Lorie Conway, Filmmaker and Journalist