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Detained Mbare residents freed on bail
Zimbabwe Lawyers for Human Rights (ZLHR)
January 28, 2011

Mbare Magistrate Rebecca Kaviya on Wednesday 26 January 2011, granted bail to 19 residents of the volatile high density suburb, who were arrested at the weekend and charged with public violence.

The 19 Mbare residents who included three juveniles Edwin Machokoto aged 16 years, Garikai Zuze aged 17 years and Thomas Tasara aged 17 years, were arrested on Saturday 22 January 2011 and charged with contravening Section 36 (1) (a) of the Criminal Law (Codification and Reform) Act Chapter 9:23 after they allegedly attacked some ZANU PF supporters and some police officers.

Magistrate Kaviya granted free bail to all the 19 residents on Wednesday after the residents' lawyer Marufu Mandevere applied for bail on Tuesday 25 January 2011, which was contested by the public prosecutor Emmanuel Chipanda.

In her ruling Magistrate Kaviya stated that the State's case against the Mbare residents was very weak and hence admitting the accused persons to bail would not prejudice the interests of justice.

As part of their bail conditions the 19 residents were ordered not to interfere with witnesses and to continue residing at their given residential addresses.

The 19 Mbare residents were remanded out of custody to 8 February 2011.The campaign is however yet to be launched at a national level according to Zanu PF national spokesperson Rugare Gumbo.

The major task of the committee would be to go around the country's 10 provinces, holding meetings with members of the public to urge them to denounce sanctions. It is also understood that during the meetings, a petition where the members of the public would be required to "voluntarily" append their signatures would be availed. The petition will be then handed over to the three principals to the GPA as well as ambassadors of countries that are directly involved in the issuing of the targeted sanctions.

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