News / National
MDC youth leader's freedom bid deferred
14 Feb 2019 at 02:26hrs | Views
RULING on the application for discharge by MDC Alliance youth leader and Highfield West legislator, Happymore Chidziva, accused of inciting violence ahead of last year's elections, was on Monday deferred to February 18 after the presiding magistrate indicated she was not ready to deliver determination in the matter.
Gweru provincial magistrate, Charity Maphosa said she had other commitments and would only be able to hand down the ruling on Monday.
Chidziva is facing charges of inciting violence after he allegedly threatened President Emmerson Mnangagwa and the Zimbabwe Electoral Commission (Zec) with unspecified action at a rally ahead of last year's July 30 polls
In their submissions last week, Chidziva's lawyers, Jeremiah Bhamu and Brian Dube, indicated that they were making an application for discharge because the State had failed to prove a prima facie case against their client.
Allegations against Chidziva are that on July 22 last year, at a rally in Mkoba, Gweru, he warned then Zanu PF presidential candidate, Mnangagwa and Zec of dire consequences if election results did not favour MDC Alliance presidential candidate Nelson Chamisa.
Chamisa eventually lost the polls to Mnangagwa. He then contested the results in the Constitutional Court, but lost the appeal.
In a related matter, the trial of MDC Chiwundura legislator, Livingstone Chimina, was on Monday again deferred to February 19 after the State failed to avail witnesses.
The court ordered the State to bring witnesses, failing which the case would be struck off the roll.
Chimina is facing charges of inciting violence in the January stayaway.
Gweru provincial magistrate, Charity Maphosa said she had other commitments and would only be able to hand down the ruling on Monday.
Chidziva is facing charges of inciting violence after he allegedly threatened President Emmerson Mnangagwa and the Zimbabwe Electoral Commission (Zec) with unspecified action at a rally ahead of last year's July 30 polls
In their submissions last week, Chidziva's lawyers, Jeremiah Bhamu and Brian Dube, indicated that they were making an application for discharge because the State had failed to prove a prima facie case against their client.
Allegations against Chidziva are that on July 22 last year, at a rally in Mkoba, Gweru, he warned then Zanu PF presidential candidate, Mnangagwa and Zec of dire consequences if election results did not favour MDC Alliance presidential candidate Nelson Chamisa.
Chamisa eventually lost the polls to Mnangagwa. He then contested the results in the Constitutional Court, but lost the appeal.
In a related matter, the trial of MDC Chiwundura legislator, Livingstone Chimina, was on Monday again deferred to February 19 after the State failed to avail witnesses.
The court ordered the State to bring witnesses, failing which the case would be struck off the roll.
Chimina is facing charges of inciting violence in the January stayaway.
Source - newsday
