57 more protesters granted bail

By Tatenda Dewa | Harare Bureau |

The Zimbabwe Lawyers for Human Rights (ZLHR) on Thursday helped 57 protesters get released on $30 bail each.

The group was arrested and charged for alleged public violence last month during a demonstration organised by a group of political parties pressing for electoral reforms.

While all the opposition parties have acknowledged the need for them to form a coalition and fight President Robert Mugabe’s Zanu PF government as a united front at the 2018 general elections, they are also pushing for electoral reforms to ensure the polls are free, fair and credible.

The Zanu PF government is suffering a legitimacy crisis partly because of allegations of poll fraud in the 2013 and previous elections.

The activists had been denied bail by lower courts, so ZLHR provided them with legal assistance and made a successful application before High Court judge, Happias Zhou.

They were ordered to deposit the $30 with the clerk of court, report to the Criminal Investigation Department (CID) Law and Order section every Friday, reside at their given addresses and not interfere with witnesses.

Meanwhile, Harare magistrate, Bianca Makwande on Thursday dismissed an application for refusal of further remand of 51 Mabvuku residents who were arrested on 4 July and are being charged with public violence for allegedly participating in demonstration against police corruption.

They were further remanded to 27 October, with the magistrate giving notice to the State to set a trial date, failure of which would result in the removal of the 51 from remand.

She also relaxed the reporting conditions to once every month of the residents who are all male and are being represented by ZLHR members Gift Mtisi, Jeremiah Bamu, Trust Maanda and Dorcas Chitiyo.

Over the years, the State has largely failed to secure the conviction of citizens arrested during public marches and demonstrations, with critics accusing government of using the police and judiciary to persecute dissenters.

Hundreds of protesters have since July been arrested and detained, but the courts have been releasing them in trickle, with the State failing to come up with convincing charges against them. Nehanda Radio