3 pro-democracy activists further remanded in custody

The trio of Namatai Kwekweza, Robson Chere and Samuel Gwenzi faces allegations of protesting outside the Harare Magistrates Court against the arrest and continued detention of dozens of opposition CCC activists.

THE three Harare-based pro-democracy activists arrested  last month for alleged disorderly conduct have been further remanded in custody to September 3 pending trial.

They are being represented by the Zimbabwe Lawyers for Human Rights (ZLHR).

The trio of Namatai Kwekweza, Robson Chere and Samuel Gwenzi faces allegations of protesting outside the Harare Magistrates Court against the arrest and continued detention of dozens of opposition CCC activists.

They are all denying the charge.

In an earlier appearance the three, who were yanked off a Victoria Falls-bound flight have been repeatedly denied bail as the State argues that they are likely to abscond, commit other offences or cause public despondency.

They have claimed that they were held incommunicado and tortured for several hours following their dramatic arrest at the Robert Gabriel Mugabe International Airport .

In a related matter, ZLHR lawyers representing opposition CCC politician Jameson Timba and 76 other activists who were arrested for "participating in an unlawful gathering" in Harare on June 16 have applied for discharge saying the State has failed to prove a prima facie case against them.

"Beyond reasonable doubt as required in criminal law, this application seeks to stop the start of defence proceedings to bolster the weak prosecutors' case. The magistrate is expected to hand down the ruling on 29 Aug at 1425 hrs," ZHLR wrote in a statement on X.

 

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