STATE CLOSES CASE IN JOANA TRIAL

THE State on Tuesday closed its case in the trial of former CCC legislator Joana Mamombe and her three accomplices on charges of participating in unlawful gatherings with intent to promote public violence, breaches of the peace or bigotry.

In the alternative charge, Mamombe, Makomborero Haruzivishe, Tererai Obey Sithole and Netsai Marova are being charged with contravening the Covid-19 lockdown regulations by assembling in public.

Specifically, they are charged in the alternative of contravening section 5 (3) (a) as read with section (5) (1) of statutory instrument 99 of 2020 (Covid-19 prevention, containment and treatment national lockdown) of 2020.

The State led by Advocate Tafara Chirambira closed its case after leading all the State witnesses who included the police officers who arrested the four and mobile phone service experts who placed the four in Warren Park at the time.

The four, through lawyers Messrs Alec Muchadehama and Gift Mtisi, indicated that they intend to apply for discharge at the close of the State case.

The State will respond and the ruling on the matter will be handed down on the April 5.

Allegations are that the four in defiance of lockdown protocols converged at Warren Park 1 shopping centre in western Harare and marched with others displaying placards urging the public to revolt against the Government if the lockdown continued to be in place at the time.

When the trial opened, all the four pleaded not guilty to the offence citing their freedoms of association and right to demonstrate. Herald 

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