News / National
Activist released after month in prison
23 Feb 2019 at 19:21hrs | Views
Activist Charles Thomas who was arrested last month for allegedly stoning a police officer to death during violent protests that rocked the second largest city has been released on bail.
Thomas, who is jointly charged with Bernard Sibanda spent more than a month behind bars as their lawyer Dumisani Dube of Mathonsi Ncube Attorneys fought to secure their release.
Yesterday, Bulawayo High Court judge Nokuthula Moyo granted the two $100 bail each and remanded them to March 11, for commencement of their trial.
The court heard that during the shut-down protests last month Thomas and Sibanda ganged up with a mob who stoned Zimbabwe Republic Police officer Ekson Maune, leaving him for dead.
Maune succumbed to the injuries the following day at the United Bulawayo Hospitals (UBH) where he was admitted in the Intensive Care Unit (ICU).
The court heard the deceased who was in police uniform, was carrying out his duties of maintaining peace and order in Njube Suburb when he got attacked.
Just before his arrest, Thomas had organised a march from Large City Hall to the Bulawayo High Court to deliver a petition as part of a push to set up a special commission to address the Gukurahundi post-independence mass killings. However the march was blocked by the police.
Thomas was once arrested alongside exiled Paul Siwela in 2011 then under the banner of Mthwakazi Liberation Front, a secessionist movement for allegedly distributing fliers calling on Zimbabweans to revolt against the government.
The two were charged with treason. However, Thomas was later acquitted while Siwela fled the country during his trial after he claimed that his life was in danger.
Thomas, who is jointly charged with Bernard Sibanda spent more than a month behind bars as their lawyer Dumisani Dube of Mathonsi Ncube Attorneys fought to secure their release.
Yesterday, Bulawayo High Court judge Nokuthula Moyo granted the two $100 bail each and remanded them to March 11, for commencement of their trial.
The court heard that during the shut-down protests last month Thomas and Sibanda ganged up with a mob who stoned Zimbabwe Republic Police officer Ekson Maune, leaving him for dead.
The court heard the deceased who was in police uniform, was carrying out his duties of maintaining peace and order in Njube Suburb when he got attacked.
Just before his arrest, Thomas had organised a march from Large City Hall to the Bulawayo High Court to deliver a petition as part of a push to set up a special commission to address the Gukurahundi post-independence mass killings. However the march was blocked by the police.
Thomas was once arrested alongside exiled Paul Siwela in 2011 then under the banner of Mthwakazi Liberation Front, a secessionist movement for allegedly distributing fliers calling on Zimbabweans to revolt against the government.
The two were charged with treason. However, Thomas was later acquitted while Siwela fled the country during his trial after he claimed that his life was in danger.
Source - dailynews
