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No joy for ‘Baba Jukwa’

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HARARE provincial magistrate Milton Serima yesterday dismissed an application for refusal of further remand filed by Baba Jukwa suspects Edmund and Phillip

HARARE provincial magistrate Milton Serima yesterday dismissed an application for refusal of further remand filed by Baba Jukwa suspects Edmund and Phillip Kudzai in a case where the two are being charged for plotting to topple the government through cyber terrorism.

CHARLES LAITON SENIOR COURT REPORTER

This is the second time that the application has been dismissed with the State citing the sensitive nature of the charges.

Edmund, who is the Sunday Mail editor, and his elder brother Phillip, had last Friday filed a fresh application seeking to be removed from remand arguing the State had failed to put them to trial on time.

In his ruling, Serima asked the brothers to be patient with the State adding investigations into the matter were still underway considering the complexity of the charges.

The magistrate further said both the State and the defence would be guided by Police Assistant Commissioner Chrispen Makedenge’s findings upon his return from the United States where he is reportedly soliciting for additional evidence from the Google engine headquarters.

Makedenge is currently in the US where he is carrying out investigations at Google and Facebook firms, to gather evidence on the two brothers’ alleged creation of the shadowy Facebook character and blogger widely known as Baba Jukwa.

Prosecutor General (PG)’s representative Sharon Mashavira last week told the court that Makedenge had already left the country and was expected back any day this week.

In response to the State’s request, the duo’s lawyer Admire Rubaya urged the court to consider removing his clients from remand and to order the State to proceed against them by way of summons.

Rubaya said it was apparent from the postponements of the matter that the PG’s Office was not yet ready to proceed to trial.