News / National
MDC-T youths demand release of incarcerated colleagues
23 Aug 2014 at 07:17hrs | Views
Militant MDC-T youths broke into song and dance on Friday at the Harare Magistrates Courts immediately after the state had invoked Section 121 of the Criminal Law to deny freedom to their incarcerated colleagues, arrested early this week.
Anti-riot police officers, clad in their protective gear, swiftly moved in to quell a potentially violent situation.
The visibly incensed youths were chanting slogans and remonstrating with police officers singing, "Order order hatidi zvekupihwa order nemasasikamu . . . "
Earlier on, Prosecutor Barbra Ndoro had to use the back door from the court house after angry MDC-T youths had barricaded the court house exit, at the end of court proceedings.
Among the arrested party youths remanded in custody to September 2 is Harare MP, Ronia Bunjira (49), student journalist and Youth of Zimbabwe for Transparency and Progress member, Danmore Tshuma (34).
The other accused persons are Bridget Nyandoro (29) of Rugare, Stanley Manyenga (32), Stewarty Gwebe (24), Unnete Chibinya (30) and Keith Charumbira (age not given), who is a pastor of Holy Nations Ministries in Mabvuku.
Ndoro invoked Section 121 of the Criminal Law after Provincial Magistrate Vakai Douglas Chikwekwe had granted $300 bail each for the accused persons.
They are being charged with obstructing or endangering the free flow of persons or traffic after engaging in a demonstration, demanding jobs from the government in the city centre early this week.
In his bail ruling, the magistrate had ordered the accused persons to reside at their given addresses. Chikwekwe quashed state claims that opposition supporters would interfere with state witnesses if granted bail by the court.
The magistrate also highlighted that the incarcerated opposition party supporters were not a danger to the public if granted bail.
Chikwekwe also pointed out that the accused persons' legal counsel, Obey Shava, had spent much time dwelling on insignificant submissions in his bail application for the opposition party supporters.
"The lawyer spent a lot of time on unnecessary submissions instead of going straight to the bail application. It is detrimental to the accused persons who are forced to endure more time in incarceration," said Chikwekwe.
Later on, Shava pleaded with the magistrate for the state to avail medical assistance to his clients who have made allegations of injuries sustained during their arrest, due to assault by police.
Anti-riot police officers, clad in their protective gear, swiftly moved in to quell a potentially violent situation.
The visibly incensed youths were chanting slogans and remonstrating with police officers singing, "Order order hatidi zvekupihwa order nemasasikamu . . . "
Earlier on, Prosecutor Barbra Ndoro had to use the back door from the court house after angry MDC-T youths had barricaded the court house exit, at the end of court proceedings.
Among the arrested party youths remanded in custody to September 2 is Harare MP, Ronia Bunjira (49), student journalist and Youth of Zimbabwe for Transparency and Progress member, Danmore Tshuma (34).
The other accused persons are Bridget Nyandoro (29) of Rugare, Stanley Manyenga (32), Stewarty Gwebe (24), Unnete Chibinya (30) and Keith Charumbira (age not given), who is a pastor of Holy Nations Ministries in Mabvuku.
Ndoro invoked Section 121 of the Criminal Law after Provincial Magistrate Vakai Douglas Chikwekwe had granted $300 bail each for the accused persons.
They are being charged with obstructing or endangering the free flow of persons or traffic after engaging in a demonstration, demanding jobs from the government in the city centre early this week.
In his bail ruling, the magistrate had ordered the accused persons to reside at their given addresses. Chikwekwe quashed state claims that opposition supporters would interfere with state witnesses if granted bail by the court.
The magistrate also highlighted that the incarcerated opposition party supporters were not a danger to the public if granted bail.
Chikwekwe also pointed out that the accused persons' legal counsel, Obey Shava, had spent much time dwelling on insignificant submissions in his bail application for the opposition party supporters.
"The lawyer spent a lot of time on unnecessary submissions instead of going straight to the bail application. It is detrimental to the accused persons who are forced to endure more time in incarceration," said Chikwekwe.
Later on, Shava pleaded with the magistrate for the state to avail medical assistance to his clients who have made allegations of injuries sustained during their arrest, due to assault by police.
Source - The Zim Mail
