Political activist, Jacob Ngarivhume, and his followers
have turned the flopped July 31 protests into a movement dubbed #JULY31MOVEMENT
aimed at perpetuating the agenda of removing a constitutionally elected
Government, a court heard yesterday.
The court also heard that the State has already watched a
video in which opposition elements, including MDC Alliance member Job Sikhala,
are forging for the degeneration of the failed July 31 demonstrations into a
new movement.
This emerged yesterday when prosecutor Mr Michael Reza was
responding to Ngarivhume’s fresh bail application on changed circumstances.
Ngarivhume, through his lawyer Mr Moses Nkomo, made a fresh
freedom bid, saying there were no fears of him endangering the public since
July 31 had passed.
The application was made before Harare regional magistrate
Mr Trynos Utahwashe.
Said Ngarivhume in his application: “Applicant has now
approached this honourable court on the basis that 31st July 2020 is past and
there were no incidences of violence or disturbances of public order or
undermining of public peace and security.”
Ngarivhume argued that the few people who were arrested on
the day of the flopped much-hyped demonstrations were granted bail and he
should be freed on the same vein.
“It is submitted in casu that circumstances have changed to
such an extent that they warrant the release of the accused on bail without
compromising the reasons for the initial refusal of the bail application,” said
Mr Nkomo.
“Specifically, it is no longer possible for the applicant
to call for another demonstration on July 31 2020 as the accused had initially
done.”
Ngarivhume told the court that he will be wiser and will
ensure that he takes appropriate measures that address police’s fears in the
event that he wishes to call for another demonstration in future.
He then proposed that he deposits $5 000 and report to the
police every Friday as part of his bail conditions.
Mr Reza told the court that there were no changed circumstances,
as Ngarivhume was determined to continue pursuing his agenda.
“There are no changed circumstances as they have changed
the July 31 protests into #JULY31MOVEMENT,” he said. “The State has watched a
video in which his colleague Job Sikhala was encouraging people to join the
movement. These are determined people and determined people will take it as a
learning curve.
“In other words, he has learnt and the objective of the
demonstration of removing the leader of the Government, President Mnangagwa,
from office have not been met and they will not stop.
Mr Utahwashe remanded Ngarivhume in custody to Friday for
bail ruling. Herald
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