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High Court releases Mawarire’s passport

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HIGH Court judge, Justice Nyaradzo Munangati-Manongwa, yesterday ordered the temporary release of pro-democracy activist and #ThisFlag leader, Evan Mawarire’s passport to enable him to visit his family in the United States.

HIGH Court judge, Justice Nyaradzo Munangati-Manongwa, yesterday ordered the temporary release of pro-democracy activist and #ThisFlag leader, Evan Mawarire’s passport to enable him to visit his family in the United States.

BY DESMOND CHINGARANDE

Evan Mawarire
Evan Mawarire

The cleric is expected to return the travel document on his next remand dated on April 21.

Mawarire, who is facing charges of subverting a constitutionally-elected government and inciting people to commit public violence, also had his reporting conditions relaxed from twice a week to once a fortnight at the Harare CID Law and Order Section.

Through his lawyer, Harrison Nkomo, Mawarire had argued that the court’s refusal to relax his bail conditions and denying him access to his passport infringed on his liberties.

According to the State, Mawarire, who is a senior pastor at His Generation Church and founder of #ThisFlag social movement, allegedly mobilised the public through social media platforms to stage anti-government protests between July and December last year.

The State further alleges that people took heed of Mawarire’s protest calls and engaged in violent demonstrations, which left a trail of destruction, particularly in Harare.

According to the State, Mawarire on September 15 last year also mobilised Zimbabweans in the US and all over the world to converge in New York to protest against President Robert Mugabe’s presence at the United Nations General Assembly.

In another related matter, High Court judge Justice Edith Mushore yesterday granted pro-democracy activist Linda Masarira the right to challenge her conviction and 385-hour community service sentence for participating in an anti-government protest last year.