CITIZENS' Coalition for Change (CCC) political activist, Tineyi Munetsi, who was recently arrested for his alleged involvement in a 2019 anti-government protest, has been freed on US$500 by the High Court.
Among bail conditions, High Court judges, Justice Annie-Lucy Mungwari and Justice Joel Mambara ordered Munetsi to report once a week at Harare Central Police Station, to surrender his passport to the Clerk of Court at Mbare Magistrates Court, to continue residing at his given residential address and not to interfere with State witnesses until his matter is finalised.
His arrest came five years later despite police clearing the accused person to participate in the 2023 parliamentary elections in which he contested in Goromonzi West constituency.
Kossam Ncube of Zimbabwe Lawyers for Human Rights (ZLHR) and Lovemore Madhuku secured Munetsi's release on bail.
"We have saved Tineyi Munetsi, who contested as an opposition CCC political party candidate during the 2023 parliamentary elections, from continued detention by getting him released from prison on US$500 bail.
"In Zimbabwe, absurdity has plumbed new depths as authorities arrested Tineyi Munetsi, who contested in the 2023 parliamentary elections, and charged him for allegedly participating in an anti-govt protest held some five years ago," ZLHR said in a statement.
The accused person's release from Harare Remand Prison came after the court set aside the decision of Mbare Magistrate Rangarirayi Gakanje, who on August 10, 2024, denied the political activist bail.
Munetsi was arrested on August 3, 2024, by Zimbabwe Republic Police (ZRP) officers, who charged him with public violence as defined in section 36 of the Criminal Law (Codification and Reform) Act.
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Prosecutors alleged that on January 14, 2019, Munetsi disturbed the peace, security or order of the public by burning some ZRP vehicles, attacking and assaulting some police officers manning a tollgate as well as barricading the Harare-Masvingo highway with burning tyres and putting boulders thereby blocking the free movement of vehicles and people.
Munetsi, prosecutors further allege, took a solar panel from the roof of Southlea Park Police Station and handed it over to his accomplice Emmanuel Makumbe from whom it was recovered.
Prosecutors also claim that Munetsi and his alleged unidentified accomplices looted groceries and mobile phone handsets from tuckshops located at Mbudzi roundabout in Harare and took foreign and local currency from business operators.
