Baba Jukwa trial: Chief investigating officer back from United States

Harare Bureau
The chief investigating officer working on the alleged terrorism case implicating Sunday Mail Editor Edmund Kudzayi and his brother, Phillip, has returned from the United States of America where he met social media networks and search engine providers. Assistant Commissioner Crispen Makedenge and two of his colleagues returned on Sunday around 9.30pm.

Sources said the officers met Facebook and Google officials to aid the state’s case. Details of the meeting could not be established by late yesterday.
The officers left the country on September 20 for the US to carry out further investigations on the terrorism case.

According to the sources, Asst Comm Makedenge and one of the senior officers left the country aboard a South African Airways jet to OR Tambo International Airport before connecting to Dakar in Senegal en route to the United States.

The other officer left the country in an Emirates Airlines plane for the US via Dubai.
On Monday, a second bid for freedom by Edmund and Phillip failed after a Harare magistrate ruled that they should remain on remand pending trial.
Magistrate Milton Serima dismissed the pair’s application for refusal of further remand. Serima remanded the pair to November 14 this year.

Through their lawyer Admire Rubaya of Rubaya Chatambudza legal practitioners, Edmund and Phillip made an application for refusal of further remand arguing they had been on remand for a long time without standing trial.

In their application, Edmund and Phillip, who are facing charges of subversion and undermining the authority of the President through the Baba Jukwa Facebook account, accused the state of taking them for a ride.

They challenged the state to produce proof showing that indeed Asst Comm Makedenge left the country for the USA.
It is the state’s case that sometime in April 2013, Edmund hatched a plan with Phillip to overthrow the government through unconstitutional means.
It is alleged that he created a Gmail account, [email protected], using a mobile phone line registered in Phillip’s name, but used by him.

The two allegedly formed two separate groups called the Gunda Nleya Brigade and the Zimbabwe Revolutionary Army with the purpose of overthrowing the government.

Edmund allegedly posted articles on the Baba Jukwa Facebook page which encouraged rebellion against government if the July 31 harmonised elections “were stolen”.