Zimbabwe: High Court Reserves Bail Ruling for 78 CCC Members

16 July 2024

Harare High Court Judge Munamato Mutevedzi has reserved a bail ruling for the 78 Citizens Coalition for Change members who were arrested on allegations of unlawfully convening a gathering at the house of interim party leader Jameson Timba who is also part of the arrested members.

They have spent more than a month in a pre-trial detention. Justice Mutevedzi said ruling should be ready by Thursday.

Lawyer Agency Gumbo, who is representing the 78 said they are hoping for a positive determination by the High court since the magistrate's court ruling was an act of injustice.

"The judgement shall be handed down before Thursday, so we are hoping to get a determination on the appeal. The question of bail is a constitutional right which must be denied under very exceptional circumstances and we have maintained that the denial of bail by the Magistrate court was an error, an act of injustice, and a misdirection which is why we came rushing to the High court so that we enforce the right to bail.

"Understandably and given the complexity of the matter, the judge needs time to go through the papers so we are hoping to get a positive determination by Thursday," said Gumbo.

Meanwhile, Gumbo confirmed the granting of bail to one of the arrested members after it was discovered that he was a minor leaving Timba and 76 others to know their fate by Thursday.

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