New bail ruling for MDC-T members postponed again

A new High Court bailing application by eight MDC-T members who are facing false charges of murdering a police officer in Glen View has been postponed for the second time after the state prosecutor failed to appear in court today.

Edmore Nyazamba, the state prosecutor failed to come to court claiming he was sorting out a family issue, forcing Justice Samuel Kudya to postpone the case to tomorrow. Yesterday the case failed to kick off and was postponed to today.

In June, the eight who are part of 12 other MDC-T activists are facing similar murder charges were denied bail at the High Court after the state opposed bail saying they were a flight risk.  The other 12 members are on bail.

However, the defence lawyers filed a fresh bail application last week due to changed circumstances and ruling was set for yesterday but it was postponed to today.

Attempts by the defence lawyers for the ruling to be made in the afternoon failed after the judge said he had other commitments elsewhere.

Addressing journalists after the postponed of the hearing, defence lawyer Tawanda Zhuwarara said it was unfortunate that the bail application had failed to kick off again today as they had communicated to their clients about the pending application.

"We are hum strung but we will have our day in court tomorrow," Zhuwarara said.
 
The police officer was murdered by unknown revellers at a night club in Glen View in May.

Those in remand prison are: Councillor Tungamirai Madzokere of Ward 32 Glen View, brothers Lazarus and Stanford Maengahama, Phineas Nhatarikwa, Stanford Mangwiro, Yvonne Musarurwa, Rebecca Mafikeni and Cynthia Manjoro.