Online Reporter
Sunday News Reporter
Police are actively searching for several individuals who reportedly have skipped bail while facing serious charges related to engaging in illegal meetings and inciting public violence.
A police source confirmed that these individuals are wanted in connection with multiple cases that have raised concerns about public safety.
The majority of those wanted are members of the CCC who were arrested, along with senior party member Jameson Timba, for holding an illegal meeting at Timba’s residence.
While the 77 who were arrested were granted bail, it has since emerged that some of them have violated their bail conditions and have either run away or gone into hiding.
On November 27 last year, Timba and 34 others were sentenced to suspended prison terms after being convicted earlier in the week for participation in an unlawful gathering. Timba was sentenced to a suspended two-year prison term, while the other activists received lesser suspended prison terms.
The suspended sentences mean that Timba and the other activists will be immediately freed, but their convictions remain.
The police source further revealed that they were now looking for Dickson Banda and Luckson Moyo, who are also believed to have skipped bail while facing serious charges related to engaging in illegal meetings and inciting public violence.
Banda was arrested in Harare on June 16, 2024, the same day that Timba and the 77 activists were detained. He was also released with the Timba group in November.
“We have hit a brick wall in our attempts to find them. They have evaded capture since skipping bail, and we are doing everything possible to track them down,” the source stated.
This publication managed to trace Banda’s family in Bulawayo who claimed that they also did not know the whereabouts, revealed that they were now facing the wrath of authorities who were accusing them of concealing his location.
A family member, speaking on the condition of anonymity due to fear of repercussions, revealed that they were now living in constant fear and worry for the safety of their relative.
“Now, authorities are harassing us, accusing us of concealing his whereabouts. They come to our home, demand answers, and create an atmosphere of fear in our community. What worries us the most is that Banda is not the first to be targeted; his cousin, Dumisani Tshuma, who was studying abroad, was the first to go into hiding after also being threatened with arrest for inciting political violence.”
The situation has left the family feeling isolated and vulnerable.
“We have always been a close-knit family, but this has torn us apart. We are living in constant fear, and it’s affecting our mental health and daily lives,” they expressed.
Authorities continue to urge the public to report any information related to the wanted individuals, emphasizing the importance of community cooperation in enhancing public safety and accountability.
