High Court denies Alan Moyo bail after more than 50 days of pre-trial detention

By Nyashadzashe Ndoro  | Nehanda Courts |

High Court Judge Davison Foroma has denied bail to a University of Zimbabwe student, Alan Moyo (23) who has so far spent more than 50 days of pre-trial incarceration at the country’s largest and most notorious jail, the Chikurubi Maximum Security Prison.

The detained MDC Alliance youth member and pro-democracy campaigner is facing charges of inciting public violence after he was allegedly arrested while calling on people to demonstrate and overthrow the under-fire President Emmerson Mnangagwa and his regime in Harare.

He is represented by his lawyer, Obey Shava of the Zimbabwe Lawyers for Human Rights (ZLHR).

In denying him bail, Justice Foroma argued that Moyo did not suggest the nature of the error Magistrate Judith Taruvinga made when she denied him bail.

“For the reason that the applicant does not suggest the nature of the error complained about the court, should be spared the agony of determining the real cause of complaint by declaring at the outset that the ground of appeal is fatally defective,” Foroma said

“I found the applicant’s grounds of appeal to be fatally defective and accordingly dismiss the appeal.”

The state alleged Moyo, on July 3, incited some commuters at Copacabana Bus Terminus in Harare by telling them the time to stage a revolt against Mnangagwa’s administration was conducive because the president had failed the people of Zimbabwe.

Mnangagwa’s administration has always been under-fire home and abroad over alleged systematic illegal arrests and persecution of the dissent.

Journalist Hopewell Chin’ono who recently exposed alleged government corruption involving Mnangagwa family in massive allegations of corruption, the US$ 60m Drax Covidgate, was arrested and charged with inciting violence in connection with 31st July protests against corruption.

He was arrested together with opposition Transform Zimbabwe leader Jacob Ngarivhume and MDC Alliance Vice Chairman Job Sikhala who have since been released on bail by the High Court in Harare after spending at least weeks at Chikurubi Maximum Security Prison.

Chin’ono was arrested again in November last year over tweets and charged with allegations of defeating the course of justice. He was released on bail by the High Court.

This year again and for the third time Chin’ono was arrested together with Sikhala and MDC Alliance national spokesperson Fadzayi Mahere and they were charged with communicating falsehoods that a Harare based police officer reportedly killed a baby while attempting to beat the child’s mother with a button stick.

Mahere was released on bail at the Magistrate’s court. Chin’ono was also released on bail by the High Court yesterday.

Bail ruling for Sikhala will be handed down by High Court judge Justice Tawanda Chitapi on Monday. Nehanda Radio