High Court Judge Justice Chinembiri Bhunu today denied bail to 29 MDC
activists detained on charges of murdering a police officer at Glen
View shopping center in May 2011.
The judge instructed the defense team led by Beatrice Mtetwa to seek bail through the Supreme Court and dismissed evidence given to the court by the late Mutedza’s brother Tichaona Mutedza and father Solomon Mutedza that the deceased had missing body parts on him - an indication that Mutedza could have been murdered elsewhere.
The judge cited irregularities saying the Zimbabwe Lawyers for Human Rights had coached Mutedza’s brother to incriminate Zanu PF and the police. The judge said this was not permissible in Court and therefore could not be justified as strong evidence against the allegations.
Justice Bhunu said that since Tichaona Mutedza noticed that there were missing parts and decided not to report to the police to confirm this, the testimony could have been a fabrication. He described the evidence as fictitious without any value and a waste of the court’s time.
Mtetwa in turn argued that if the evidence given by the Mutedzas’ was fictitious, then the evidence by state witnesses that the 29 activists got into two cars after the murder was also based on hearsay since there are no witnesses and therefore, fictitious.
The judge then adjourned the case to tomorrow.
Justice Bhunu said it was normal for murder cases to drag for more than two years and in this particular case the number of the accused justified the length of time taken to bring the case to finality.
Mai Tsvangirai together with Hon. Douglas Mwonzora and Hon. Nelson Chamisa were at the court giving moral support to the detained MDC members.
The MDC maintains that the detained members are law-abiding citizens who have no case to answer. The Party acknowledges the dire need for change in the country so that our laws can be impartial and citizens can receive free and fair trial.
Meanwhile, Jackson Mabota and Tarisai Kusotera the two MDC Youth Assembly leaders from Glen View South are still detained at Harare Central Police Station, two days after their arrest for allegedly murdering Inspector Mutedza. They will appear before a Harare magistrate tomorrow.
The judge instructed the defense team led by Beatrice Mtetwa to seek bail through the Supreme Court and dismissed evidence given to the court by the late Mutedza’s brother Tichaona Mutedza and father Solomon Mutedza that the deceased had missing body parts on him - an indication that Mutedza could have been murdered elsewhere.
The judge cited irregularities saying the Zimbabwe Lawyers for Human Rights had coached Mutedza’s brother to incriminate Zanu PF and the police. The judge said this was not permissible in Court and therefore could not be justified as strong evidence against the allegations.
Justice Bhunu said that since Tichaona Mutedza noticed that there were missing parts and decided not to report to the police to confirm this, the testimony could have been a fabrication. He described the evidence as fictitious without any value and a waste of the court’s time.
Mtetwa in turn argued that if the evidence given by the Mutedzas’ was fictitious, then the evidence by state witnesses that the 29 activists got into two cars after the murder was also based on hearsay since there are no witnesses and therefore, fictitious.
The judge then adjourned the case to tomorrow.
Justice Bhunu said it was normal for murder cases to drag for more than two years and in this particular case the number of the accused justified the length of time taken to bring the case to finality.
Mai Tsvangirai together with Hon. Douglas Mwonzora and Hon. Nelson Chamisa were at the court giving moral support to the detained MDC members.
The MDC maintains that the detained members are law-abiding citizens who have no case to answer. The Party acknowledges the dire need for change in the country so that our laws can be impartial and citizens can receive free and fair trial.
Meanwhile, Jackson Mabota and Tarisai Kusotera the two MDC Youth Assembly leaders from Glen View South are still detained at Harare Central Police Station, two days after their arrest for allegedly murdering Inspector Mutedza. They will appear before a Harare magistrate tomorrow.
Together to end,building a youth with a difference.
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