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State’s bid to revoke acid attacker’s bail flops

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the Prosecutor-General (PG)’s application seeking to revoke bail in a matter involving a Botswana-based Zimbabwean, Robson Munamba, who is accused of attempting to kill his former lover by drenching her with sulphuric acid, hit a brick wall on Friday last week after being dismissed by the High Court.

The Prosecutor-General (PG)’s application seeking to revoke bail in a matter involving a Botswana-based Zimbabwean, Robson Munamba, who is accused of attempting to kill his former lover by drenching her with sulphuric acid, hit a brick wall on Friday last week after being dismissed by the High Court.

BY CHARLES LAITON

Harare High Court judge Justice Garainesu Mawadze had previously granted Munamba a $500 bail after State representative Henry Muringani consented to his release coupled with other bail conditions such as surrendering his passport.

However, in a turn of events, Munamba was not released from prison after the PG’s Office decided to revoke his bail saying he was not a proper candidate considering that the victim, Rudo Bakasa, was still in critical condition.

The State added that Munamba had illegally entered the country.

PG’s Office representative Michael Mugabe further said the State had established new facts warranting Munamba’s incarceration pending trial.

But Justice Mawadze said the move by the PG’s Office was improper as it had not complied with the court’s initial order to have Munamba released on bail.

“It is clear in my mind that there are no new facts in the matter that came up before I granted bail,” Justice Mawadze said. “The State has dismally failed to indicate or prove that there are new facts which warrant the revocation of bail. There are no new facts that were presented before this court. The application to revoke bail is clearly unfounded and lacks merit. It is, therefore, dismissed.”

The 51-year-old man who allegedly burnt his lover with sulphuric acid has since dismissed the allegations, claiming that the woman intended to drink the dangerous liquid and in his bid to prevent her from doing so, it accidentally spilled over her, burning her in the process.

Allegations against Munamba are that on May 6 this year he left Botswana for Zimbabwe where he intended to confront Bakasa who had terminated their love affair.

It is alleged that on the day in question, Munamba met Bakasa in Goromonzi after disembarking from a lift and he confronted her over the issue. Bakasa insisted that they must break up.

In a fit of rage, Munamba allegedly grabbed Bakasa and tried to force her to drink the sulphuric acid, but he was overpowered. The State alleges that he then poured the sulphuric acid on her face and all over her body, leading to severe burns which she is still nursing in hospital.