Ngarivhume denied bail, magistrate claims he is likely to abscond due to ‘gravity’ of offence

HARARE – Opposition Transform Zimbabwe leader Jacob Ngarivhume and his alleged accomplice Kevin Gonde will remain behind bars after Harare magistrate Farai Gwatima denied them bail, ruling that the duo is likely to abscond due to the “gravity” of the alleged offence.

Ngarivhume is accused of participating in an unsanctioned political gathering together with former cabinet Minister Jameson Timba and 78 other political activists who are also on trial over the same case.

Over 100 political activists are currently being detained over politically motivated allegations. They were arrested a few weeks before the recently concluded Southern African Development Community (SADC) summit in Harare.

Zanu-PF spokesperson Christopher Mutsvangwa this week confirmed that the regime deliberately arrested opponents in order to thwart potential protests during the summit.

Job Sikhala, who spent close to 600 days in prison over a non-existent crime between 2022 and 2024, has argued Ngarivhume is innocent and he deserves the right to bail.

“I gather that my friend and colleague Jacob Ngarivhume has been denied bail on the allegations that he was part of the group that gathered at Jameson Timba’s house on the 16th of June 2024 and stoned the police,” Sikhala said.

“It is a lie that Jacob Ngarivhume was at Jameson Timba’s house on the alleged day of the 16th of June 2024. The reason for the denial of bail is that he will abscond trial because of the gravity of the offence.

“Bail is a right. The presumption of innocence is a cardinal rule in bail considerations. Jacob Ngarivhume won’t run away under whatever difficult circumstances he may face.

“He knows very well that he is innocent because he has never been anywhere near Jameson Timba’s house on the day in question!”

Veteran journalist Hopewell Chin’ono, who was arrested by the regime several times for exposing corruption, also said Ngarivhume is being falsely accused.

“Jacob Ngarivhume has been denied bail by Harare magistrate Farai Gwatima, as expected.

“He is falsely accused of planning protests and being associated with jailed opposition leader Jameson Timba and being at his house, yet they have never met in real life.

“He is one of over 100 pro-democracy activists jailed by the Zimbabwean corrupt tyrant, Emmerson Mnangagwa,” he said.