News / National
MDC-T 29' judgment today
16 Sep 2013 at 22:48hrs | Views
High Court judge Justice Chinembiri Bhunu is today expected to deliver judgment in the matter involving the 29 Glen View MDC-T activists accused of murdering police inspector Petros Mutedza in May 2011.
Twenty-four of them have been attending court from home, having been granted bail while their four co-accused, Tungamirai Madzokere, Yvonne Musarurwa, Last Maengahama and Simon Mapanzure, were denied bail and have been in custody since their arrest.
The other one, Rebecca Mafukeni, died while in remand prison last month.
The activists, through their lawyers, applied for discharge at the close of the State case arguing the State had failed to prove a prima facie case against them after calling all the witnesses who gave evidence in court.
Prosecutor Edmore Nyazamba, however, opposed the application arguing State witnesses had managed to prove a case against the activists and as such they should be placed on their defences.
Allegations against the 29 came about two years ago, when the activists allegedly convened an unsanctioned meeting at Glen View 1 shopping centre which was later called off by the police.
It is alleged the victim, Mutedza, who was part of the police team, approached the youths' leaders, Robert Manyengavana and Paul Gorekore, and asked them to disperse peacefully, but the youths allegedly turned violent and attacked the officers.
Mutedza and his team are said to have retreated and fled the scene, but the youths allegedly pursued the officers and pelted them with stones.
The State alleges Mutedza was struck on the head with a brick and died on admission to hospital.
Twenty-four of them have been attending court from home, having been granted bail while their four co-accused, Tungamirai Madzokere, Yvonne Musarurwa, Last Maengahama and Simon Mapanzure, were denied bail and have been in custody since their arrest.
The other one, Rebecca Mafukeni, died while in remand prison last month.
The activists, through their lawyers, applied for discharge at the close of the State case arguing the State had failed to prove a prima facie case against them after calling all the witnesses who gave evidence in court.
Prosecutor Edmore Nyazamba, however, opposed the application arguing State witnesses had managed to prove a case against the activists and as such they should be placed on their defences.
Allegations against the 29 came about two years ago, when the activists allegedly convened an unsanctioned meeting at Glen View 1 shopping centre which was later called off by the police.
It is alleged the victim, Mutedza, who was part of the police team, approached the youths' leaders, Robert Manyengavana and Paul Gorekore, and asked them to disperse peacefully, but the youths allegedly turned violent and attacked the officers.
Mutedza and his team are said to have retreated and fled the scene, but the youths allegedly pursued the officers and pelted them with stones.
The State alleges Mutedza was struck on the head with a brick and died on admission to hospital.
Source - newsday
