Bulawayo High Court judge Justice Nicholas Ndou on Thursday granted bail to a man accused of posting a message on Prime Minister Morgan Tsvangirai’s Facebook wall allegedly encouraging him to topple President Mugabe by organising mass protests.
Vikas Mavhudzi was released on $200 bail but was ordered to live within a 40km radius of the city centre until finalisation of his matter.
Ndou overruled last month’s ruling by Bulawayo magistrate Gideon Ruvetsa, denying Mavhudzi bail on the grounds that the matter was serious.
Ndou, however, was of a different view. “I set aside the order and grant the appellant bail,” he said before setting the bail terms.
The state alleges on February 13, Mavhudzi allegedly posted an alleged offensive message on Tsvangirai’s Facebook wall. The message read: “I’m overwhelmed, don’t know what to say Mr PM.
What happened in Egypt is sending shock waves to all dictators around the world. No weapon but unity of purpose. Worth emulating, hey?”
Following a tip-off, police stormed Mavhudzi’s home on Febraury 24 and arrested him after they found the “offensive” message in his cellphone.
Mavhudzi was represented by Lizwe Jamela and Nosimilo Chanayiwa of Zimbabwe Lawyers for Human Rights while Timothy Makoni appeared for the Attorney-General’s Office.
