THE delay in furnishing MDC-Alliance trio — Joana Mamombe,
Cecilia Chimbiri and Netsai Marova — a trial date in a matter in which they are
facing charges of publishing false information or obstructing the course of
justice is because of the absence of expert evidence needed to facilitate
investigations, the State has said.
State counsel, Mr Teddy Kamuriwo, told the court that there
were videos that were needed from a specialist before the trial commenced. Mr
Kamuriwo said this when applying for the postponement of the matter to August
13.
The trio through their lawyer Alec Muchadehama, had opposed
to the postponement and suggested that the bail condition be varied pending
trial.
They also argued that the State had promised to complete
investigations in two weeks.
Harare regional magistrate Mr Ngoni Nduna deferred the
matter to August 13, saying there was no inordinate delay that had been caused
by the State.
Allegations against the trio are that on May 13 at around
12.30pm, they gathered at Choppies Supermarket in Warren Park 1 with other MDC
Alliance youths and staged a demonstration against the recalling of their MPs
from Parliament and the alleged misuse of funds for the Covid-19 pandemic.
On the same day, they allegedly called their friends,
family and lawyers, saying they had been arrested at a roadblock near the
Exhibition Park and were taken to Harare Central Police Station.
Upon receiving the communication, their lawyer Mr Jeremiah
Bamu reportedly went to the police CID Law and Order.
Mr Bamu is alleged to have approached a senior officer,
saying the accused had been arrested and taken to Harare Central Police
Station.
According to the State, checks were made and it was
established that they were not arrested.
On the same day, social media platforms and local
newspapers were awash with news that the three had been arrested, it is
alleged.
Two days later, on May 15 at around 1am, Mr Bamu advised
the police that the three were at Muchapondwa business centre in Bindura.
The police and Mr Bamu went to the business centre, collected
them and took them to a hospital in Waterfalls, Harare, since they claimed to
have been tortured.
On May 19, Marova told a police detective that she was
abducted and tortured by the police, with Mamombe and Chimbiri later
interviewed on May 25, according to the State. Herald
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