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Yeukai Karengezeka Court Correspondent
Fifteen MDC activists who were denied bail last week at the Chitungwiza Magistrates Court have approached the High Court seeking bail pending trial.
The group is being accused of participating in an unsanctioned public gathering with intent to promote public violence in Chitungwiza on February 29.
The hearing which was scheduled on Thursday last week before High Court Judge Justice Moses Foroma could not commence after the State indicated that it was not yet ready to argue the matter.
The matter was rolled over to tomorrow with consent of both parties.
The applicants are being represented by Mr Tapiwa Muchineripi and Mr Job Sikhala from Zimbabwe Lawyers for Human Rights while the Mr Richard Chikosha is standing in for the state.
MDC youth spokesman Stephen Chuma (32) is being charged alongside Nyasha Mutsindikwa (23), Elton Tendai Marimbe (21), Dambudzo Leeroy Mhike (29), Tendai Timuri (40), Jabulani Chatindiara (42), Chris Murecha (35), Terrence Manjengwa (25), John Mulevelengi (43) Brian Mushakwe (26), Tanyaradzwa Zawaire (26), and Taurai Nyamanhindi (36).
For the first 12 accused persons, Justice Foroma postponed the matter on the basis that the Chitungwiza magistrate Mrs Vongai Muchuchuti ruling was not written clearly and requested for a typed copy.
Allegations are that the on February 29 around 6am, MDC youths numbering about two hundred were moving from Huruyadzo Business Centre proceeding towards Total Service Station in Chitungwiza.
The accused persons and others who are still at large were chanting MDC party slogans and threatening other members of the public they would come across.
They also went to Job Sikhala’s house who is the Zengeza West legislator and police observed that some of them were holding stones, knives and catapults.
When the police ordered them to disperse the activists allegedly retaliated against the police by throwing missiles at them and two officers sustained injuries.
Nyamanhindi was positively identified by the police officers as the one who was inciting others to attack police.
Online Reporter