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Judge defers ruling on Glenview suburb murder suspects to Thursday
Zimbabwe Lawyers for Human Rights (ZLHR)
September 17, 2013

High Court Judge Justice Chinembiri Bhunu will now deliver his judgment on Thursday 19 September 2013 on an application for discharge at the close of the State’s case filed by lawyers representing 28 Glenview suburb residents charged with murdering a police officer, Inspector Petros Mutedzi.

Justice Bhunu was scheduled to deliver his ruling on Tuesday 17 September after he reserved judgment indefinitely on 12 June 2013 on the application for discharge following the hearing of oral submissions.

But, the Judge will now deliver his ruling on Thursday to allow for proceedings to do with the first session of the Eighth Parliament of Zimbabwe which will be officially opened by President Robert Mugabe in Harare.

In their application for discharge, the Glenview residents’ lawyers Beatrice Mtetwa, Selby Hwacha, Alec Muchadehama, Charles Kwaramba, Gift Mtisi and Jeremiah Bamu argued that the State had failed to prove a prima facie case against their clients and hence they should be set free.

The Glenview residents, who include Rebecca Mafikeni, who passed away last month were arrested in 2011 and charged with contravening Section 47 of the Criminal Law (Codification and Reform) Act Chapter 9:23 for allegedly murdering Inspector Petros Mutedza at a bar in Harare’s Glen View suburb. Alternatively, the residents were also charged with committing public violence in contravention of Section 36 of the Criminal Law (Codification and Reform) Act Chapter 9:23.

During the high profile trial, prosecutors alleged that the Glenview suburb residents chanted MDC party slogans, denounced the police and threw stones, empty beer bottles, steel stool frames and other missiles at six uniformed police officers resulting in the death of Inspector Mutedza, a charge which they all deny.

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