Mawarire trial date set

Prosper Dembedza Court Correspondent
Harare magistrate Mrs Babra Mateko on Thursday announced that the trial of #ThisFlag leader Evan Mawarire, Zimbabwe Congress of Trade Unions (ZCTU) president Peter Gift Mutasa and secretary-general Japhet Moyo, will start on June 24.
The trio are facing charges of subverting a constitutionally-elected Government or alternatively inciting public violence.

Their recent applications for refusal of further remand were dismissed by Harare magistrate Mrs Rumbidzai Mugwagwa.
“The State had outlined that they would carry out investigations within six weeks which are up, the State should learn to abide by the timelines they would have set themselves,” said Mrs Mugwagwa in her ruling.

“But looking at the time the accused persons have been on remand, the State has made progress, thereby application for refusal for further remand is dismissed.”

The State alleges that on January 14, Mawarire in connivance with the Zimbabwe Congress of Trade Unions (ZCTU) president Peter Mutasa, recorded and published a video to the Zimbabwean populace, which went viral on social media platforms, including YouTube, Twitter, WhatsApp and Facebook, which have a world coverage.

It is the State’s case that the contents of the video were meant to subvert a constitutional elected Government in that Mawarire was coercing the Zimbabwean workers not to report for duty and encouraging civil disobedience or resistance to any law.