A BID to taste freedom by two police officers, two soldiers and two Mutare municipal cops who are facing charges of kidnapping and assaulting Mutare-based freelance journalist Clayton Masekesa hit a brick wall yesterday after they were remanded in custody and advised to apply for bail at the High Court.

Presiding magistrate, Ms Perseverance Makala ruled that the matter was a third schedule offence and therefore her court lacked jurisdiction to deal with the case.

This was after defence lawyers had pressed the lower court to hear their bail application, insisting that the magistrates court had the authority to do so.

“This case still remains a third schedule offence and warrants a decision from the High Court on whether the six accused persons should be remanded out of custody. Despite the fact that the lawyers are claiming that there was no grievous bodily harm on the complainant, it is still clear that there was more harm inflicted on him. That harm however, can or cannot be seen by the naked eye alone,” she said. — Herald Reporter.

A BID to taste freedom by two police officers, two soldiers and two Mutare municipal cops who are facing charges of kidnapping and assaulting Mutare-based freelance journalist Clayton Masekesa hit a brick wall yesterday after they were remanded in custody and advised to apply for bail at the High Court.

Presiding magistrate, Ms Perseverance Makala ruled that the matter was a third schedule offence and therefore her court lacked jurisdiction to deal with the case.

This was after defence lawyers had pressed the lower court to hear their bail application, insisting that the magistrates court had the authority to do so.

“This case still remains a third schedule offence and warrants a decision from the High Court on whether the six accused persons should be remanded out of custody. Despite the fact that the lawyers are claiming that there was no grievous bodily harm on the complainant, it is still clear that there was more harm inflicted on him. That harm however, can or cannot be seen by the naked eye alone,” she said. — Herald Reporter.