News / Local
Chamisa's foot soldiers denied bail
19 Jun 2024 at 02:32hrs | Views
Several activists from the Citizens Coalition for Change (CCC), including Jameson Zvidzai Timba, appeared in court in Harare facing charges related to attending an unlawful gathering, visibly bearing signs of torture. The group, totaling 79 individuals, was arrested at Timba's residence on Sunday while commemorating the Day of the African Child.
They were accused of participating in an illegal gathering with alleged intentions to incite public violence and disorderly conduct. Represented by lawyers Agency Gumbo, Lazurus Mbereko, Jeremiah Bamu, and Webster Jiti, the activists were remanded in custody until today for a bail application.
Defense lawyer Bamu argued against prolonged detention, citing violation of constitutional rights, as detainees had surpassed 48 hours in police custody. The prosecution, led by Thomas Chanakira, claimed that police intervened on June 16 after receiving reports of an unauthorized assembly in Harare aimed at staging an unlawful demonstration. Allegedly, the activists became aggressive, throwing stones at officers, which led to injuries and prompted police to use tear gas to disperse them.
They were accused of participating in an illegal gathering with alleged intentions to incite public violence and disorderly conduct. Represented by lawyers Agency Gumbo, Lazurus Mbereko, Jeremiah Bamu, and Webster Jiti, the activists were remanded in custody until today for a bail application.
Defense lawyer Bamu argued against prolonged detention, citing violation of constitutional rights, as detainees had surpassed 48 hours in police custody. The prosecution, led by Thomas Chanakira, claimed that police intervened on June 16 after receiving reports of an unauthorized assembly in Harare aimed at staging an unlawful demonstration. Allegedly, the activists became aggressive, throwing stones at officers, which led to injuries and prompted police to use tear gas to disperse them.
Source - newsday
