Zimbabwe Independent editor, Faith Zaba, will spend her third night in detention after the presiding magistrate failed to hand down his ruling due to a power outage at the Harare Magistrates Court.
Harare Magistrate Vakayi Chikwekwe said he could not type his ruling before postponing the matter to Friday morning.
Zaba is accused of undermining the authority of the President following the publication of a satirical article in the Muckracker column of their weekly newspaper.
The State represented by Takudzwa Jambawu had told court that they considered her medical condition and were not opposed to the granting of bail.
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"Having gone through the documents tendered by the defence and verifying them, these were documents of medical history of the accused and there are no compelling reasons warranting the state to challenge bail," said Jambawu.
While making bail submissions, Chris Mhike, representing Zaba said in light of the State's concession that there are no compelling reasons warranting the continued detention of the accused, he moves for an order for the release of his client on bail.
"Where an accused has been arrested and detained that person must be released unconditionally or on reasonable conditions unless there are compelling reasons.
"We have no objections to the imposition of the proposed conditions and our client does undertake to refrain from interfering with any of the ongoing investigations.
"She is not a member of the Zimbabwe Republic Police, she is not a daughter of a police officer, nor the mother of a police officer. She therefore has no capacity to interfere with members of the ZRP investigating this case.
"The accused is a fit candidate for bail. She is a mother of two and the sole breadwinner of her family.
"In addition to her children, she also takes care of a niece who is totally dependent on her and also her mother, aged 70."
Mhike said Zaba is of fixed abode, adding that she is employed as an editor.
"She needs to go back to work soon after she recuperates from her current ill health.
"The accused before you is an award-winning journalist well respected in Zimbabwe Media, commercial, human rights and philanthropic circles," he said.
Court was also told of her other colourful accolades in media circles, including being the Secretary General of the Zimbabwe National Editors Forum (ZINEF), a mentor, and a member of the Women in News organisation, as such a responsible person to be trusted with freedom.
"This shows she is a distinguished member of the society," Mhike said.
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The lawyer also said Zaba did not give the police trouble when she was arrested.
"She made every effort to honour the request by the police for her to attend at the police station.
"She voluntarily walked into Harare Central Police Station in the company of her lawyer.
"It is regrettable that the police did not allow her to go home after the recording of her warned and cautioned statement," he said.
"Citizens who honour and respect authorities ought to be spared from harsh prison realities. As indicated, the accused is not feeling well and the veracity of that submission is documented."
However, Mhike raised a complaint against the police, saying, "Our complaint is that the accused was detained overnight even in the face of comprehensive medical documentation confirming that she was on bed rest on the order of a medical doctor."
Jambawu said police officers and some of Alpha Media Holdings (AMH) employees are lined up to testify against Zaba.
Zaba is represented by Mhike and Nontokozo Dube Tachiona.
