(12 Nov 1997) Natural Sound
A judicial hearing in Zimbabwe investigating pension fraud by an ex-guerrilla leader had to be postponed after his supporters caused a near-riot in the courthouse.
Chenjerai Hitler Hunzvi, head of the National War Veteran Association, was to testify on allegations he forged pension claims on behalf of veterans of the country's bush war for independence in the 1970s.
But nearly 300 of his supporters and veterans of the guerrilla war overtook court proceedings by singing, dancing on tables and waving crutches and protest signs.
The judge was forced to postpone the panel's hearing until Wednesday.
Chenjerai Hitler Hunzvi arrived at the High Court in Harare on Monday expecting to answer questions on charges that, as a government doctor, he forged pension claims to get guerrilla veterans more money.
Hunzvi, who also heads the National War Veteran Association, had led often-violent demonstrations this year accusing the government of pilfering veterans' pension funds.
But inside the court house, nearly 300 of his supporters gathered to disrupt the proceedings scheduled to interrogate Hunzvi.
Supporters of the veterans group leader and ex-guerrillas from Zimbabwe's seven-year bush war chanted and sang from crowded court benches.
In his defence, Hunzvi was expected to deny falsifying medical records and claim the state is victimising him because of his campaign against pension fraud corruption.
Judge Godfrey Chidyausiku and his 12-member commission had warned that armed riot police inside and outside the court would intervene if things got out of hand.
As anticipated, after a short adjournment and just a few remarks from Hunzvi, the court erupted into pandemonium.
Supporters began shouting at the commission members and several jumped up on court tables and began dancing and singing in protest.
Veterans of the guerrilla war that led to Zimbabwe's independence in 1980 charge that state compensation funds for veterans have instead been diverted to politicians, police and ruling party supporters.
Although the government has agreed to pay more than 33 million (m) dollars in pensions to approximately 50-thousand of them, the veterans - many who are destitute - still uphold Hunzvi as a government scapegoat.
Hunzvi sat calmly as chaos broke out and riot police appeared to make no attempt to suppress the demonstrators.
Singers drowned out any chance of the commission doing its work by belting out verses from revolutionary songs in support of Hunzvi.
Angry protestors waved signs demanding the government pay out the pension funds they are due, while others waves artificial limbs as a symbol of their suffering.
The crowd got so out of hand that the court officials were eventually forced to take refuge in their offices.
Once outside after the hearing had been postponed, Hunzvi was carried out on the shoulders of his adoring crowd.
Although his cause was victorious on Monday, Hunzvi will have to face the same judicial panel again when proceedings resume on Wednesday.
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