NPA to challenge Mamombe, Chimbiri acquittal

Citizens Coalition for Change (CCC) members Joanah Mamombe and Cecilia Chimbiri

The National Prosecuting Authority (NPA) has said it would challenge the acquittal of Citizens Coalition for Change (CCC) members Joanah Mamombe and Cecilia Chimbiri saying the judgment was fraught with irregularities.

 In a statement on Wednesday, the National Prosecuting Authority of Zimbabwe called for another judge to look at it.

 “The State is of the considered view that the judgment is defective for want of compliance with the High Court Act (Chap 7:06) as well as a precedent which provides that another Judge must concur with the presiding Judge before the judgment is handed down,” read the statement.

 “The State is certain that another court presented with the same facts might come to a different conclusion.”

 Mamombe and Chinembiri were acquitted on charges of publishing falsehoods and fabricating their abduction by State security agents.

 In passing her judgment, High Court judge Justice Priscilla Munangati-Manongwa said the evidence of the State witnesses was discredited during cross-examination and unreliable such that no reasonable court could safely convict on such evidence

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