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Her name is synonymous with standing up for justice. Intelligent, accomplished and in possession of a legal mind that will tie the opposing counsel in knots; Beatrice Mtetwa is a forbidding character in the courtroom.
Outside the court she reverts to a slim petite woman with a big heart who smiles readily and has a passion to see that justice is served to all. I meet her at her office early in the morning.
She is in the middle of a very crucial case. She is defending Roy Bennett against some very stiff charges for which he could be hanged if found guilty. The whole of Zimbabwe and the world are following the proceedings very closely.
I ask her how she manages to keep a fresh skin in the middle of the hustle and bustle. That is after she has confided in me that she is in her fifties and mother to a boy and a girl who are both in university.
She is not fussy in her daily routine. “I use ‘Dove’, only because my daughter uses it.” She waves a slim hand with nails done in an oyster pink shade. Dove is a moisturising soap bar that claims to be kinder to the facial skin than ordinary soap.
The lawyer loves shoes. “I don’t know how many pairs I own, but I am no Imelda Marcos,” she laughs. Imelda Marcos was married to the late deposed president of the Philippines and she reportedly had more than 1 000 pairs of designer shoes.
Although she does shop from some classy shops, such as Sun God in Johannesburg, Mtetwa says she has no favourite. “I will even buy from the flea market if something appeals.” Her favourite colour is pink.
“Though I don’t get to wear it often,” she imparts with another smile. In the court room it would destroy the image of the tough lawyer who demolishes unwary opponents.
Her style is sophisticated but simple. So she puts on a sober outfit and a whiff of Rush fragrance by Gucci and she is ready to face yet another gruelling day in the office or in court.
She is usually in the office by seven. “I need an hour of calm to catch up before the phone starts ringing.” If she is not in court then she is usually to be found in the office.
“Some of the most defining cases of my life are very obscure ones that never make it into the news.” She points out that like the rest of us; she also gets to keep her nose to the grindstone.
What does she do to relax at the end of another day of exhausting legal battles? She goes home to hang out with friends.
“I enjoy cooking my own food. My favourite dish is Sadza ne Derere (okra). I also enjoy talking to people. Just talking.” She says.
Beatrice Mtetwa is not rigid when it comes to patronising leisure spots. “I am really a very simple person and I will hang out anywhere, Mereki, wherever.” She suavely shrugs her shoulders to indicate just how easy going she is.
V-e-e-e-r-y modest, eh!
But I guess her choice of music determines the kind of place that she actually enjoys going to. “I like soul, old school, you know the Motown sounds.”
When she gets a chance to get away from it all, she heads out to Nyanga. “I just love Nyanga. I think it is because the mountains remind me of my home, Swaziland.” There is a wistful look on her face as though she wishes she could be there breathing the bracing air right now.
I ask about the Mr Perfect. What would her ideal man be like? “Does such a man exist? If he did I guess it would be just someone who lets me be.” She goes on to explain that she believes people need to give each other space in a relationship.
Mtetwa is heavily involved in civil rights organisations including the Child Protection Society which runs Chinyaradzo Children’s Home. “I feel that as lawyers we ought to do more. Everyone should have access to justice, without the costs restricting this key right.” I warn her that I will be sure to remember that if I ever get into legal trouble.
As I leave her office I take away the image of a self-contained and contented woman. This is someone whose life is orderly and who believes in herself.
Her personal mantra says it all; “Everything is possible.”
Mtweta's profile at glance
Beatrice Mtetwa is a prominent media and human rights lawyer and a 2005 recipient of CPJ’s International Press Freedom Award.
Throughout the decade, Mtetwa has defended numerous journalists against spurious charges brought by President Robert Mugabe’s government.
She represented many of the journalists arrested during a massive crackdown on the press in the run-up to the 2008 presidential election.
Among her court victories was the successful defence of New York Times reporter Barry Bearak and British freelance journalist Steven Bevan, both of whom were arrested under an obsolete press accreditation law.
Mtetwa has defended journalists in a number of high-profile cases throughout her career.
Her clients have included Mercedes Sayagues formerly of South Africa’s Mail and Guardian, Andrew Meldrum of The Guardian of London, Angus Shaw of The Associated Press, Jan Raath of The Times of London, and Brian Latham of Bloomberg.
Mtetwa worked on behalf of the Daily News, Zimbabwe’s sole independent daily newspaper until it was closed by the government in 2003.
In October 2003, Mtetwa was arrested on specious allegations of drunken driving. She was taken to a police station, where she was held for three hours, beaten and choked, then released without charge.
Although she was unable to speak for two days as a result of the assault, she returned to the police station on the third day, with medical evidence in hand, to file charges.
In 2007 she and other lawyers were assaulted by police after protesting the harassment of fellow lawyers Alec Muchadehama and Andrew Makoni. They were bundled into a truck and taken to an open field where police proceeded to beat them up using baton sticks.
She is currently defending Roy Bennett a close ally of Prime Minister Morgan Tsvangirai who is facing treason charges and faces the death penalty. — CPJ/Nehanda Rad
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BY PACIFIC NDORO
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