TWO MDC Alliance MPs and 16 other people appeared at the
Gweru magistrates’ court yesterday and were denied bail on charges of inciting
and participating in public violence.
Amos Chibaya, the MDC Alliance organising secretary who is
the MP for Mkoba, Livingstone Chiminya, the opposition party’s Chiwundura MP
who is also the Midlands provincial youth chairperson and 16 other people were
arrested over the violence that led to the looting of shops and bars in Gweru
on Tuesday.
Chibaya and five other people appeared before provincial
magistrate Ms Charity Maphosa while Chiminya and 11 others appeared before regional
magistrate Mrs Phathekile Msipa.
Chibaya and Chiminya are facing one count each of inciting
violence while the other people who appeared before the two magistrates
including Titus Chumunya, Bongani Sibanda, Message Nerongo, Lazurus Matariro,
Mavis Chakunga, Brenda Madzire are facing a count each of public violence.
Chibaya’s lawyer Mr Reginald Chidawanyika made an
application for bail pending trial which was opposed by the State.
In her bail application ruling, Ms Maphosa said the country
and Gweru in particular had not yet returned to normalcy.
She remanded Chibaya in custody to today for trial while
the other five were remanded in custody to January 22.
“The accused person after allegedly addressing the youths
drove them to areas where they committed acts of public violence and therefore
the accused is remanded in custody to tomorrow (today) for trial,” she said.
“The other five are remanded in custody to January 22.”
On the other hand Mrs Msipa also denied Chiminya bail after
an application by the accused lawyer Mr Brian Dube.
She said she was going to deal with the bail application
for the other people today.
“The environment is still volatile, you are alleged to have
incited people in Gweru to participate in criminal activities and things are
not yet 100 percent normal.
Releasing him is not in the best interest of the public. We
need to protect the people from such acts. The public will lose confidence in
the judiciary and bail is denied,” she said.
The other 11 people were also denied bail to January 22.
Chronicle
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