News / Local
War veterans wants trial date or to be remove from remand
17 Nov 2021 at 05:37hrs | Views
THIRTY-NINE members of the Zimbabwe National Liberation War Veterans Association (ZNLWVA) who are accused of participating in a gathering with the intention to cause public violence were today remanded to December 7 but they gave the State's notice that they will apply for removal from remand if the State failed to provide a trial date.
The accused persons Shorai Nyamangondo (58) and 38 others who appeared before Magistrate Barbara Mateko said the State initially brought them to court on a full docket and must have been provided the trial date.
The veterans of the liberation struggle were represented by Paidamoyo Saurombe from the Zimbabwe Lawyers for Human Rights.
Allegations are that on October 13 the ZNLWVA notified the police of their intention to hold a peaceful march in Harare central business district, which was turned down on October 18, on the basis that the National Lockdown level 2 was still in effect, suspending all demonstrations.
The State alleges that on October 26 at around 1000 hours, members of the Police Reaction Group (PRG) who were on patrol in the Central Business District (CBD) received information that there was a group of people gathered at Africa Unity Square, Corner 3rd Street and Jason Moyo Avenue Harare.
It is alleged that the police acted to the information and proceeded to the scene where they engaged the accused persons.
The accused persons indicated that they were war veterans and wanted to hand over a petition to Parliament and Munhumutapa Offices.
The police advised the accused to send at least five people with the petition, but they refused stating that they all wanted to go as a group.
The police allegedly ordered them to disperse, but the accused refused at which point they started singing revolutionary songs, thereby disturbing the peace, movement of the pedestrians and motor vehicles.
The accused were subsequently arrested.
The accused persons Shorai Nyamangondo (58) and 38 others who appeared before Magistrate Barbara Mateko said the State initially brought them to court on a full docket and must have been provided the trial date.
The veterans of the liberation struggle were represented by Paidamoyo Saurombe from the Zimbabwe Lawyers for Human Rights.
Allegations are that on October 13 the ZNLWVA notified the police of their intention to hold a peaceful march in Harare central business district, which was turned down on October 18, on the basis that the National Lockdown level 2 was still in effect, suspending all demonstrations.
The State alleges that on October 26 at around 1000 hours, members of the Police Reaction Group (PRG) who were on patrol in the Central Business District (CBD) received information that there was a group of people gathered at Africa Unity Square, Corner 3rd Street and Jason Moyo Avenue Harare.
It is alleged that the police acted to the information and proceeded to the scene where they engaged the accused persons.
The accused persons indicated that they were war veterans and wanted to hand over a petition to Parliament and Munhumutapa Offices.
The police advised the accused to send at least five people with the petition, but they refused stating that they all wanted to go as a group.
The police allegedly ordered them to disperse, but the accused refused at which point they started singing revolutionary songs, thereby disturbing the peace, movement of the pedestrians and motor vehicles.
The accused were subsequently arrested.
Source - NewsDay Zimbabwe
