“…In general individual responsibility flows from the person having committed, or made a substantial contribution to the commission of the criminal act, in the knowledge that his or her act or omission would facilitate the criminal conduct. The individual need not physically have committed the criminal act in question. Instigating, aiding and abetting and participating in a joint criminal enterprise can suffice.”
“Put simply, I would hold an accused disqualified under article 1F if there are serious reasons for considering him voluntarily to have contributed in a significant way to the organisation’s ability to pursue its purpose of committing war crimes, aware that his assistance will in fact further that purpose.”
“16. In April and October 2002 appellant was involved in two farm invasions which she had explained in detail and which involved her being part of a large group of Zanu PF activists who attacked two white owned farms. The first attack took place at a place called Manzou Farm where a white farmer had been given an eviction order which he had disregarded. The appellant was with a mob of perhaps one hundred twenty people, including members from different areas and trained youth members and senior leaders. 17. The group was split into two and the senior members which included the appellant’s uncle went to the farmer’s house and beat him up. The appellant in the other group was involved in going to the farm workers’ houses, beating them up and burning their houses down. The appellant admitted that she was one of those carrying a stick or “chamu”, but she was not involved in burning any of the houses. She found the situation very scary and although she did hit people she did not use excessive force. 18. The appellant disliked what she had to do, but was afraid of the repercussions if she left the youth militia. Rumours abounded about how another girl had tried to escape, had been caught and severely punished.”
“20. In early October 2002 she and others were involved in another farm invasion at a place called Bellrock Farm where the white farmer had been given orders to leave the farm and had ignored it. Again she went with a large mob which might have included over one hundred youth members. Her uncle was amongst the senior members of the group. When they got to the farm her group was ordered to beat the farm workers in the fields and everyone joined in, including the appellant. They chased the farm workers and if they caught up with any worker they beat them until they left the farm. The appellant remembered that she had beaten one woman in particular and she felt very guilty about this. She felt horrible as to what had happened. She stopped hitting the woman when she saw what distress she had caused and the woman scrambled away. Farm Workers’ houses were set on fire but the appellant was not involved in that. But she did witness the Zanu PF leaders questioning the white farmer when she saw him being beaten badly and his property being destroyed.”
“84 I further find that she had participated in actions against civilians which had resulted in innocent civilians, both MDC supporters and farm workers on two farms, being badly harmed, and that she had used force with a stick to beat these innocent people. I do accept that she was only one of a number of people on the two farm invasions, that she had not personally been involved in setting fire to people’s houses, or that she was a prominent member of these groups. But there is no denying the serious nature of these attacks on innocent civilians, and that the appellant participated in them. 85. The onus is on the respondent to show that the appellant falls within the categories identified in Article 1F of the 1951 Convention. I am entirely satisfied that the actions taken by the group in which the appellant participated were acts involving crimes against humanity. The appellant had voluntarily joined the Zanu PF militia, even though at the instigation of her uncle; she had participated in its activities, she was aware of the actions taken against civilians and she had failed to disassociate herself from these activities at the earliest safe opportunity. I accept the respondent’s suggestion that it was not so much due to remorse that she had decided to desert from the militia, but on account of having been raped by another member of the militia that prompted her eventually to leave.”