High Court judge Justice Tawanda Chitapi on Thursday denied bail to MDC-Alliance youth leaders Joana Mamombe and Cecilia Chimbiri on their latest charges.
Mamombe and Chimbiri are remanded in custody on charges of breaching lockdown regulations by addressing a press conference at the Harare Magistrates Court.
They had appealed to the High Court after a magistrate declined their original application for bail on the grounds that the new charge arose out of their activities while they were on bail.
Justice Chitapi said it was evident that tough bail conditions would not prevent the two from engaging in unlawful conduct. He ruled:
I come to the same conclusion as the magistrate that there are compelling reasons to deny the appellant bail.
Accordingly, my order is that the appeal by both appellants be and it is hereby dismissed.
Commenting on the ruling, MDC Alliance vice president Tendai Biti said they were devastated by the outcome as the two have no prior conviction. He posted on Twitter:
We spend the day in court in solidarity with our girls @JoanaMamombe @ceechimbiri2.We were absolutely devastated by a very convoluted High Court ruling that denied them bail. In the absence of prior conviction wrong to hold that release on bail will cause reoffending #FreeJoanna.
We spend the day in court in solidarity with our girls @JoanaMamombe @ceechimbiri2.We were absolutely devastated by a very convoluted High Court ruling that denied them bail. In the absence of prior conviction wrong to hold that release on bail will cause reoffending #FreeJoanna pic.twitter.com/ZoC5qmMDKi
— TENDAI BITI (@BitiTendai) March 25, 2021