Zimbabwe Independent : 30 January 2004

POLICE stormed the Movement for Democratic Change (MDC) offices in Bulawayo again this week and took the party's provincial administrator away with them for questioning over what they said was subversive material.

Police last Friday searched the MDC's Bulawayo offices. They returned on Monday afternoon and took away Joshua Mpofu for questioning after they allegedly found Zvakwana/Sokwanele leaflets.

Sokwanele/Zvakwana is publishedby local activists and pressure groups.

MDC provincial information and publicity officer Victor Moyo confirmed to the Zimbabwe Independent that police raided the party's offices and took Mpofu away with them.

Moyo said Mpofu was questioned by police who wanted to know who published and distributed the Zvakwana/Sokwanele material. He was later released without charge.

"Police came in here and picked up Mpofu," said Moyo. 'They also wanted to know who printed and distributed Sokwanele/Zvakwana posters that were found at our offices. Police also took other material that we feel should be returned," said Moyo.

The police, armed with a search warrant, last week stormed the MDC offices in Harare and Bulawayo ostensibly in search of dangerous weapons and subversive materials.

The MDC said after the search that the police left with documents that included MDC policy documents, workers' telephone contact books, and other personal documents belonging to staff.

This is not the first time that police have raided the opposition party's offices with the excuse of searching for weapons but in all instances the searches have yielded no positive results.