ZINASU President Clever Bere and three other student leaders Kudakwashe Chakabva, Archiford Mudzengi and Brian Rundogo were yesterday further remanded to 21 December 2009 after their application for refusal of further remand was dismissed by Harare Magistrate Archie Wochiunga.
The three were arrested on the 3rd of August 2009 after addressing a students’ union general meeting at the University of Zimbabwe and charged under Section 37 of the Criminal Law (Codification and Reform) Act for… “participating in a gathering with intent to promote public violence, breach of peace or bigotry”. The four student leaders have been on remand since then.
They filed their application through lawyer Jeremiah Bamu citing the delays in the state to provide the trial date. On the last court hearing (28 October 2009) the court had given the state the last chance to provide the accused with a trial date.
In a quick turn of events and apparently the politicization of the case, the court granted the state more time thereby depriving the accused person of their liberties. The student leaders have appeared 7 times in court since August 2009 and report every Friday at Harare Central, CID Law and Order Section.
There was also drama when the four student leaders appeared before Harare Magistrate Munamato Mucheredzi on the 5th of August 2009 and they had to be taken to the Attorney-General’s office where negotiations were held between the police and the lawyers leading to their release.
This was necessitated by the fact that the prosecutors were afraid to deal with the matter saying it was a sensitive issue.
The lawyer notified the state of another application for refusal of further remand on the next court appearance.
ZINASU condemns the continued and deliberate persecution of the national president and all student leaders.
Blessing Vava
National Spokesperson
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