Beatrice Mtetwa spends weekend custody

Award-winning human rights lawyer Beatrice Mtetwa, who is accused of obstructing the course of justice, will spend the weekend in custody after the High Court ruled that it will hear her bail appeal on Monday.

Mtetwa and four MDC-T officials linked to Prime Minister Morgan Tsvangirai's office, were arrested on different charges and their application for bail was thrown out by Harare magistrate Ms Marehwanazvo Gofa on Wednesday.

The quartet -Thabani Mpofu, Felix Matsinde, Mehluli Tshuma and Warship Dumba - face charges of impersonation, possessing articles for criminal use and flouting sections of the Official Secrets Act.

Mtetwa's lawyers, Advocate Thabani Mpofu and Mr Harisson Nkomo, filed the bail appeal on Thursday morning and the transcribed record of proceedings late in the same day.

To that end, the prosecution said it required time to study the matter before filing its response.

Justice Joseph Musakwa gave the State up to 2pm (yesterday) to file the response and ruled he would hear the application on Monday morning.

The quartet's lawyer Mr Chris Mhike of Artherstone and Cook said he was yet to get his clients' transcribed record.

"We are yet to get a copy of the transcribed record from the Harare Magistrates Court to enable us to file the bail appeal.

"Once we get it, we will immediately file the application," he said.

This means the five will remain in custody until Monday.