Harare magistrate Taurai Manuwere has issued a warrant of arrest against Citizens Coalition for Change (CCC) activist Makomborero Haruzivishe for failing to attend court Tuesday.
Haruzuvishe is accused of breaching COVID-19 regulations by taking part in an anti-government protest in Harare’s Warren Park suburb during the country’s lockdown period.
The trial failed to proceed Tuesday after Haruzivishe did not attend.
Haruzivishe is jointly charged with CCC legislator Joana Mamombe and fellow activists Cecilia Chimbiri, Stanley Manyenga and Lovejoy Chitengu. They were remanded to September 16.
His lawyer Alec Muchadehama said he will make an effort to locate his client. ZimLive.com quotes him as saying:
We agree to the postponement your worship.
The date is by consent of your worship and this will give us time to track the whereabouts of the accused. We are also not aware of his whereabouts.
Other charges:
Haruzivishe also faces kidnapping charges with an alternative charge of participating in a gathering with the intent to promote public violence.
He is accused of chain locking employees of Impala Car Rental inside their shop in Harare while protesting the arrest of ZINASU leader Takudzwa Ngadziore.
Haruzivishe has spent 10 months in jail before, after defaulting court and also got convicted for resisting law officers.
He was granted bail earlier this year by the High Court following a successful appeal.
In the case for which he was supposed to appear in court Tuesday, Haruzivishe is accused of staging an anti-government protest during a government-declared lockdown.