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Glen View MDC-T murder trial postponed indefinitely

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THE trial of the 29 Glen View MDC-T activists accused of killing police inspector Petros Mutedza failed to materialise at the High Court yesterday

THE trial of the 29 Glen View MDC-T activists accused of killing police inspector Petros Mutedza failed to materialise at the High Court yesterday after the activists’ lawyers failed to file the anticipated application for discharge at the close of the State case.

Report by Senior Court Reporter

THE trial of the 29 Glen View MDC-T activists accused of killing police inspector Petros Mutedza failed to materialise at the High Court yesterday after the activists’ lawyers failed to file the anticipated application for discharge at the close of the State case. The matter was postponed sine die (indefinitely) by High Court judge Justice Chinembiri Bhunu in his chambers with consent from both the State and the defence. Early this month prosecutor Edmore Nyazamba closed the State case with the evidence of a Cuban pathologist Aguero Gonzalez and the defence team indicated it would challenge the State’s case and prove the activists’ innocence. The trial was then postponed to yesterday after the defence team led by Beatrice Mtetwa insisted it would by then have submitted an application which the State would respond to followed by the court’s determination. “We haven’t filed our application yet because of the complexity of the matter. As you are aware the case involves many accused persons and the lawyers work as a team. As we speak, Mtetwa has prepared a draft of the submissions which we need to go through and agree as lawyers,” one of the activists’ lawyers Gift Mtisi said. “I can’t really say when we will be able to file the submissions. It could be end of this week or any day next week.” After the postponement of the matter, Nyazamba said the State had not opposed the postponement of the case because it was foreseeable that the defence would need a lot of time, but Mtisi argued the State had not done so because the application had merits. “Now we will wait for the defence to file their papers and give us two weeks to respond after which Justice Bhunu’s registrar Constance Gambara will provide a date for us to come for oral submissions in court,” Nyazamba said. The remaining five accused persons who are still in custody are Tungamirai Madzokere, Yvonne Musarurwa, Rebecca Mafukeni, Last Maengahama and Simon Mapanzure.

The matter was postponed sine die (indefinitely) by High Court judge Justice Chinembiri Bhunu in his chambers with consent from both the State and the defence. Early this month prosecutor Edmore Nyazamba closed the State case with the evidence of a Cuban pathologist Aguero Gonzalez and the defence team indicated it would challenge the State’s case and prove the activists’ innocence. The trial was then postponed to yesterday after the defence team led by Beatrice Mtetwa insisted it would by then have submitted an application which the State would respond to followed by the court’s determination. “We haven’t filed our application yet because of the complexity of the matter. As you are aware the case involves many accused persons and the lawyers work as a team. As we speak, Mtetwa has prepared a draft of the submissions which we need to go through and agree as lawyers,” one of the activists’ lawyers Gift Mtisi said. “I can’t really say when we will be able to file the submissions. It could be end of this week or any day next week.” After the postponement of the matter, Nyazamba said the State had not opposed the postponement of the case because it was foreseeable that the defence would need a lot of time, but Mtisi argued the State had not done so because the application had merits. “Now we will wait for the defence to file their papers and give us two weeks to respond after which Justice Bhunu’s registrar Constance Gambara will provide a date for us to come for oral submissions in court,” Nyazamba said. The remaining five accused persons who are still in custody are Tungamirai Madzokere, Yvonne Musarurwa, Rebecca Mafukeni, Last Maengahama and Simon Mapanzure.