SUSPECTED MDC Alliance protesters, who were arrested at the
party headquarters last Thursday were mostly polling agents and candidates who
were submitting their V11 forms collected from various constituencies, the
court heard yesterday.
Some of the 24 MDC Alliance supporters arrested for
protesting against the Zimbabwe Electoral Commission’s delay in releasing the
presidential election results arrive at the Harare Magistrates’ Courts
yesterday for bail hearing
The suspected protesters, who are charged with public
violence, appeared before magistrate Francis Vhitorini and were represented by
human rights lawyers Gift Mtisi, Lizwe Jamela, Denford Halimani, Kossam Ncube
and James Makiya.
While applying for bail, the accused’s lawyers told the
court that the military caused commotion at the party headquarters while the
accused persons were surrendering poll returns to their superiors.
Jamela said his clients never participated in the protests
and were mostly polling agents from Uzumba, Maramba and Pfungwe, who were
submitting polling returns and collecting their allowances.
“Your worship, one of the accused persons, Simpson
Nerwande, is the national election officer. When the party headquarters was
closed by the military, he was busy collecting polling returns from the polling
agents and he denies the charge,” Jamela said.
Among the arrested persons were Harare South losing
parliamentary candidate Shadreck Mashayamombe, Simbarashe Mujeye, Happymore
Chidziva’s elections manager and some party workers based at the Richard Morgan
Tsvangirai House.
Jamela further told the court that his clients were proper
candidates for bail, as the State had failed to proffer compelling reasons on
why the suspects must be denied bail.
He said all his clients were of fixed abode and were
prepared to surrender their passports if given bail and could also afford $50
bail.
While opposing bail, prosecutor Michael Reza told court
that the accused persons were likely to incite violence.
“Your worship, the situation outside is fluid, is volatile.
The accused persons have unfinished business outside. If released, they can
regroup and protest again. These accused persons caused the death of six
innocent people and all were not part of the protests, but were caught in the
crossfire,” Reza said.
“The police were looking for them and they ran away and hid
inside their party headquarters. Instead of surrendering, they sought refuge at
Morgan Tsvangirai House. Some of them were observed setting vehicles on fire,
stoning buildings belonging to their opponents.”
The bail application is expected to continue today. Newsday
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