FORMER Zanu PF youth commissar Godfrey Tsenengamu, who was arrested last week on allegations of inciting public violence, was yesterday denied bail by Harare magistrate Ngoni Nduna who remanded him to October 27 for trial.
BY DESMOND CHINGARANDE
Tsenengamu, who surrendered himself to the police last week, was represented by rights lawyer Harrison Nkomo.
In dismissing his bail, Nduna said Tsenengamu had evaded arrest, hence should be remanded in custody.
“The fact presented by the defence that others facing the same charges are out on bail is relevant, but their lives were not in danger. Threats against him are so serious that he sought refuge at a police station. He did not surrender himself and these reasons are real. They sustain a refusal to bail and hence bail is denied,” Nduna said.
“Section 117 of the Criminal Procedure and Evidence Act outlines the tenets to be considered in denying bail, however, the court may look beyond these and make its own evaluations in order to arrive at a suitable decision.
“In the case of the late MDC spokesperson Learnmore Jongwe, he was denied bail on fears of threats to his life, in the same manner the accused was flushed out of hiding due to fears on his life,” Nduna ruled.
The former Zanu PF youth leader was among activists accused of mobilising for the July 31 anti-corruption protests.
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He is facing the same charges as MDC Alliance deputy chairperson Job Sikhala, journalist Hopewell Chin’ono and opposition leader Jacob Ngarivhume, who were released after spending several weeks in remand prison.
