Harare Mayor Suspended, Bail Hearing Today.

Allan Moyo spend 24th day in Remand Prison today

By Shingirai Vambe

Harare- Bail hearing for Suspended Harare Mayor, Jacob Mafume will be heard today at the High Court of Zimbabwe at 11:15am before Justice Benjamin Chikowero.

The matter was differed to today after the state argued it was not prepared since it received Court papers from his lawyer Tonderai Bhatasara on the 23rd of December 2020.

Bhatasara confirmed the appeal was served on the 23rd, so the officers from National Prosecuting Authority were not ready to argue the matter yesterday after they told the Court that on the 24th it was half day which he grudgingly agreed to the postponement to today.

“The Mayor appealed against the Magistrates Court’s decision which effectively denied him bail on the basis that he was likely to interfere with witnesses on the matter” Bhatasara said.

Mafume was arrested after he was granted ZWL $30 000 bail for abuse of office and given conditions that he continue to stay at his address in Harare, not to interfere with witnesses and to report at the Special Anti Corruption Unity (SACU) every Friday until his matter is ready for trial.

On the recent arrest of which he is appealing at the High Court for his freedom, it is alleged that Mafume interfered with the potential key witnesses and attempted to bribe her at a local shopping centre in Harare.

Local Gorvenement minister, July Moyo, has however suspended Mafume and his Deputy Luckson Mukunguma and 4 Councillors on the basis of their pending criminal charges.

The letters’ reads, “Councillors are being charged with gross incompetence and misconduct of duty and are therefore suspended with immediate effect”.

Another human rights lawyer, Obey Shava was at the High Court yesterday appearing on behalf of a University of Zimbabwe Student, Allan Moyo who was arrested and put in remand prison 23 days ago.

Moyo was denied bail at the Magistate Court, and an application was done at the High Court.

Shava told Post On Sunday that he was shocked to find out that Moyo’s case was struck off the row without his knowledge after yet another struggle for his record to be at the High Court from the Magistrate Court and he was to approach the Registrar office for his record.

Shava said its surprising and sad to note that other students who were arrested together with Moyo are free after being granted bail by the magistrate court 3 weeks.

“Reasons for denying him bail bail are baseless, he is just a University Student. The Court argued that he might run away and fail to appear as if he doesen’t have a fixed place of aboard”

Moyo’s case is that of addressing citizens at Copacabana bus terminus in Harare inciting violence, saying down with corruption, down with this corrupt government.

Shava however told journalists in Harare that he will stand before the High Court today on the matter and hear on the appeal.