Zanu-PF youths run amok at court

RULING Zanu-PF party youths yesterday ran amok at the Mbare Magistrates Court threatening to set ablaze lawyers' vehicles if three members of the opposition Citizens Coalition for Change (CCC) who were arrested on yet to be established charges were granted bail.

This was after two CCC members Tapiwa Chibaya and Phanex Zikimvu were arrested on Saturday after they went to court in solidarity with Last Chinodya, a CCC member arrested last Friday for allegedly threatening to kill a Zanu-PF member.

Bail ruling in Chinodya's case of threatening violence will be heard today.

Through their lawyer, advocate Wilbert Mandinde of the Zimbabwe Human Rights NGO Forum, Chibaya and Zikimvu deferred bail application citing failure to be served with court papers.

Chinodya was arrested last Friday at his workplace after Tonderai Rusere, a Zanu-PF youth made a police report alleging that he had threatened to kill him if he continued to campaign for the ruling party in Mbare.

Chinodya however, claims that the allegations are false and designed to criminalise him and other CCC leadership ahead of the 2023 polls.

While making his submissions, the trio's lawyer Mandinde said his clients chose to apply for bail through the High Court.

"My clients have elected that they will not apply for bail now because they have not been served with court papers,"Mandinde said.

Chibaya and Zikimvu were remanded to October 17 by Mbare magistrate Nyasha Vhitironi.

But during court proceedings yesterday, Zanu-PF supporters numbering over 300 stormed court premises, toyi-toying, and threaten to set ablaze the trio's lawyers if they were granted bail.

Some of the Zanu-PF members also threatened Mandinde for representing the trio. The situation was so tense that riot police had to be called in.