News / National
Mugabe demo pastor set free
03 Jan 2016 at 01:34hrs | Views
The Zimbabwean court on Thursday 31 December 2015 granted a Zimbabwean clergyman a befitting New Year's present after setting free Pastor Patrick Phillip Mugadza, who had languished in prison for more than two weeks following his arrest on charges of protesting against President Robert Mugabe's 35 year-old rule.
Zimbabwe Lawyers for Human Rights Communications Manager Kumbirai Mafunda said Victoria Falls Magistrate Lindiwe Maphosa ordered Pastor Mugadza to pay $50 bail down from $500, which she had initially set on Tuesday 15 December 2015, when she granted him bail.
"The reduction of the bail money came after Pastor Mugadza's lawyer Thulani Nkala of Dube and Company Legal Practitioners and a member of Zimbabwe Lawyers for Human Rights, petitioned the Victoria Falls Magistrates Court on Tuesday 29 December 2015 seeking an order for variation of bail conditions so as to allow the clergyman to pay $50 bail since he had struggled without success for more than two weeks to secure his freedom by paying the set $500," he said.
"In the application for variation of bail conditions, which was considered by Magistrate Maphosa, Pastor Mugadza through his lawyer argued that the bail fee was too exorbitant."
Mafunda said Pastor Mugadza was arrested on Friday 11 December 2015 during the 15th ZANU PF Annual National People's Conference held in the resort town of Victoria Falls and charged with criminal nuisance for contravening Section 46 of the Criminal Law (Codification and Reform) Act Chapter 9:23 after he allegedly staged a one-man protest denouncing President Mugabe for presiding over the collapse of the once prosperous southern African country's economy.
He said the State through Listen Nare of the National Prosecuting Authority alleged that Pastor Mugadza, who resides in Kariba in Mashonaland West province, disturbed the movement of some ZANU PF party supporters who were on their way to attend the ruling party's Annual National People's Conference by waving a banner with a message denouncing President Mugabe's leadership of the southern African country.
Mafunda said Nare claimed that Pastor Mugadza committed criminal nuisance by waving a banner in the resort town, which read "Mr President. The people are suffering. Proverbs Chapter 21 Verse 13". The Prosecutor charged that Mugadza acted unlawfully because his actions disturbed the movement of members of the public.
He said Pastor Mugadza's trial is scheduled to commence on Tuesday 05 January 2016 at Victoria Falls Magistrates Court.
Zimbabwe Lawyers for Human Rights Communications Manager Kumbirai Mafunda said Victoria Falls Magistrate Lindiwe Maphosa ordered Pastor Mugadza to pay $50 bail down from $500, which she had initially set on Tuesday 15 December 2015, when she granted him bail.
"The reduction of the bail money came after Pastor Mugadza's lawyer Thulani Nkala of Dube and Company Legal Practitioners and a member of Zimbabwe Lawyers for Human Rights, petitioned the Victoria Falls Magistrates Court on Tuesday 29 December 2015 seeking an order for variation of bail conditions so as to allow the clergyman to pay $50 bail since he had struggled without success for more than two weeks to secure his freedom by paying the set $500," he said.
"In the application for variation of bail conditions, which was considered by Magistrate Maphosa, Pastor Mugadza through his lawyer argued that the bail fee was too exorbitant."
Mafunda said Pastor Mugadza was arrested on Friday 11 December 2015 during the 15th ZANU PF Annual National People's Conference held in the resort town of Victoria Falls and charged with criminal nuisance for contravening Section 46 of the Criminal Law (Codification and Reform) Act Chapter 9:23 after he allegedly staged a one-man protest denouncing President Mugabe for presiding over the collapse of the once prosperous southern African country's economy.
He said the State through Listen Nare of the National Prosecuting Authority alleged that Pastor Mugadza, who resides in Kariba in Mashonaland West province, disturbed the movement of some ZANU PF party supporters who were on their way to attend the ruling party's Annual National People's Conference by waving a banner with a message denouncing President Mugabe's leadership of the southern African country.
Mafunda said Nare claimed that Pastor Mugadza committed criminal nuisance by waving a banner in the resort town, which read "Mr President. The people are suffering. Proverbs Chapter 21 Verse 13". The Prosecutor charged that Mugadza acted unlawfully because his actions disturbed the movement of members of the public.
He said Pastor Mugadza's trial is scheduled to commence on Tuesday 05 January 2016 at Victoria Falls Magistrates Court.
Source - Byo24News
