JUSTICE IN ZIMBABWE 21 ____________________________________________________________________ state sponsored ‘militia’ to undermine the judicial system and prevent court officials from executing their duties impartially and professionally.” Attacks on lawyers From all over the country lawyers who represent members of the MDC party or white farmers or anyone else regarded as opponents 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. The persons responsible for the intimidation and violence against them are war veterans, ruling party officials or youths or even members of the police force. Lawyers practising in smaller centres are particularly vulnerable to such actions. Because of fear amongst the local lawyers, lawyers often have to be brought in from other centres such as Harare. These outside lawyers are also subjected to intimidation. Some of the instances where lawyers have been assaulted are the following: On 7 April 2001 Mr Tawanda Hondora, a lawyer and the chairman of the Zimbabwe Lawyers for Human Rights was brutally attacked by members of ZANU (PF) in full view of, and with the active participation of, members of the Zimbabwe Republic Police. Mr Hondora had gone to a rural area in the company of two other black lawyers to investigate allegations that persons from the area who came forward to testify in the court case challenging the election result in the district had been assaulted by local police officers. When they got to the area the lawyers observed that a group of about 30 ZANU (PF) supporters was assaulting one of the election challenge witnesses, a Mr Chivanga. Uniformed police officers stood by and watched. The group of assailants saw the lawyers and chased them. They caught Mr Hondora and kicked and slapped him, hit him with fists, whipped him and hit him on the head with a stone. The mob then forced Mr Hondora to chant ZANU (PF) slogans and to toyi-toyi to the police station. At the police station Mr Hondora and Mr Chivanga were then extensively searched, interrogated about their relationship to the MDC and further tortured. A constable in the presence of Assistant Inspector Majora assaulted them. Two male and two female constables later took over the beating. When the other two lawyers arrived at the police station to rescue their colleague, Assistant