Chamisa's agents, candidate locked up

TWENTY-TWO Citizens Coalition for Change (CCC) polling agents and the party's candidate for Glen View South, Grandmore Hakata, were yesterday denied bail in a case in which they facing a charge of disorderly conduct.

They were remanded in custody to today for bail application.

They were being represented by Kudzai Kadzere and Tino Dube from the Zimbabwe Lawyers for Human Rights (ZLHR) while Tafara Chirambira prosecuted.

Kadzere initially applied for the court to release his clients saying the police violated their rights by detaining them in an inhumane degrading environment.

Kadzere told the court that the accused persons were detained in a cell whose toilet was overflowing with human waste, and were denied toiletries and food.

But Chirambira opposed the application saying there was overwhelming evidence against the accused persons.

Magistrate Learnmore Mapiye concurred with the State before referring the case for civil proceedings.

She also ruled that torture claims cannot stop the State from proceeding with the case. She said torture claims could be investigated separately.

The CCC members are being charged with disorderly conduct while Hakata faces a separate charge of organising an unsanctioned car rally.