the time when the process of expropriation was being challenged in the courts over which they preside. Current Chief Justice Chidyausiku, who is widely seen as being a staunch supporter of the ruling party and who assiduously sought to position himself as a replacement when pressure was being exerted on the incumbent Chief Justice to resign, was predictably appointed to head the judiciary directly from the High Court and ahead of sitting Appeal Judges. The Mugabe regime also packed the Supreme Court by promoting three additional judges, perceived as being sympathetic to the ruling party, as Judges of Appeal. The jurisprudentially curious judgments that have emanated from the reconstituted Supreme Court in cases involving the government, have not disappointed President Mugabe. Judges and magistrates who have continued to give rulings contrary to the perceived interests of the government or the ruling party have been severely criticised. Two judges were (unconstitutionally) arrested on charges which were clearly, in one case entrapment, and very dubious in another, shortly after delivering judgements adverse to the Government. Some magistrates have been subjected to threats and physically assaulted by ruling party supporters. Despite these pressures, a minority of judges and magistrates have continued to perform their duties in an impartial and professional manner. 5.3.5 Legal practitioners From all over the country lawyers who represent members of the opposition MDC party or who represent commercial farmers, activist groups or anyone else regarded as an opponent of the government, have reported being subjected to threats and intimidation. In a number of instances they have been physically assaulted when dealing with such cases and are routinely denied access to clients held at police stations. In May 2007, human rights lawyers Andrew Makoni and Alec Muchadehama were arrested by the police in Harare. A number of charges were laid against them but more importantly the charges were related to the MDC members whom they were defending. The incarcerated MDC members were being accused of taking part in the spate of countrywide petrol bombings at police stations from January to April 2007. Following the lawyers’ arrest, the Law Society of Zimbabwe (LSZ) decided to petition the Minister of Justice, Legal and Parliamentary Affairs to express disapproval at their illegal detention. The demonstrating lawyers were dispersed outside the High Court in Harare with brute force by police officers some of whom were armed but all of whom wielded baton sticks. The police also took away 5 prominent lawyers, including the President of the Law Society of Zimbabwe, Beatrice Mtetwa and dumped them near Eastlea, a Harare suburb, but not before they had savagely assaulted and tortured them. 14