Magistrate In No Show For Ruling In Case Of Vapostori Leader Parere Kunyenzura
Harare Magistrate Tafadzwa Miti was Wednesday not in attendance for the judgement in the case of State vs Parere Kunyenzura leader of the opposition Zimbabwe Transformative Party.
The party’s Vice President, Mr Simon Goshomi, told Pindula News that they could not establish the reason for the magistrate’s absence.
Pindula News was told that the court record for Parere Kunyenzura was not found, “it could not be located!”
The case was, as a result, remanded to the 11th of January.
The case has been in the judgement stage since the 25th of November which means Parere Kunyenzura would have spent 187 in custody without his case being finalised if the judgment is delayed to the 11th of January 2023. Goshomi told Pindula News:
We can safely conclude that this is not a judicial procedure but political persecution! Justice delayed is actually denied. The judicial system is captured and used to punish dissenting voices. It’s a tool for unashamedly and unjustifiably imprisoning and silencing opposition politicians in use by the despotic regime of ED Mnangagwa.
Parere Kunyenzura is being accused of convening a church gathering without notifying the police.
He was arrested on the 9th of July 2022 leading a prayer procession of 35 Mirirai Jehovah Apostolic Faith Mission Church congregants including senior citizens as old as 77 years.
Parere has been in custody since the 9th of July and tomorrow the 21st of December is day number 166 of his incarceration.
His trial has stalled for too long due to a number of reasons including the absence of the prosecutor or the judge, and the fuel crisis at the prison to bring prisoners to court.
Parere is denying the charges arguing that the Criminal Law and Codification Act which the police quoted on the charge sheet exempts churches, funerals and weddings to seek clearance from the police.
He argues that the state is ignoring the essential elements of the case adding that the case should have been dismissed from the onset for lack of merit as the state has brought up the wrong charge.
