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#ThisFlag leader Mawarire released on bail

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#Thisflag leader and cleric Evan Mawarire, who was arrested on Monday on allegations of participating in a gathering with the intent to promote public violence, breach of peace or bigotry, yesterday appeared at the Harare Magistrates’ Court and was released on $200 bail.

#Thisflag leader and cleric Evan Mawarire, who was arrested on Monday on allegations of participating in a gathering with the intent to promote public violence, breach of peace or bigotry, yesterday appeared at the Harare Magistrates’ Court and was released on $200 bail.

BY DESMOND CHINGARANDE

Handcuffed #ThisFlag leader Evan Mawarire (left) and co-accused Ocean Chihota arrive at Harare Magistrates’ Court in the back of a police truck yesterday
Handcuffed #ThisFlag leader Evan Mawarire (left) and co-accused Ocean Chihota arrive at Harare Magistrates’ Court in the back of a police truck yesterday

Mawarire (40), who is being charged together with Ocean Chihota (34), was not asked to plead when he appeared before magistrate Rumbidzayi Mugwagwa and was remanded to July 19.

As part of their bail conditions, the two were also ordered to surrender their passports.

Allegations against them are that following the publication of a circular by the University of Zimbabwe (UZ) authorities on June 26 this year to expel medical students from the campus for failing to pay tuition fees, Mawarire and Chihota, together with other medical students still at large, connived and hatched a plan to act violently against the authorities.

The State alleges Mawarire and Chihota organised and gathered medical students and urged them to confront UZ Vice-Chancellor Levi Nyagura and force him to rescind implementing the new tuition fees structures.

It is the State’s case that on June 26, Mawarire, Chihota and other students marched towards the vice-chancellor’s office and illegally demonstrated while holding placards inscribed “Fees Must Fall”, “My Father Is A Teacher”, “Tongoda (We only want) 1% of the $15 billion”, “My Mother Is A Vendor” and “Tohurira Fees Here? (Should we engage in prostitution for fees?)”

The State alleges the pastor and other protesters became violent and armed themselves with stones, with which they pelted the UZ security personnel, who had tried to restrain them from carrying out the illegal demonstration.

It is alleged the suspects were eventually overpowered by the reinforced UZ security personnel, who were now armed with baton sticks.

Upon seeing police officers, Mawarire and Chihota allegedly tried to escape in a car, but were arrested, while their alleged accomplices fled from the scene.

Sebastian Mutizirwa appeared for the State.