Masvingo High Court Judge Justice Sunsley Zisengwe has ordered the release of eight Chiredzi residents including lawyer Farai Chauke.
They spent nearly two weeks in prison after they were denied bail for allegedly violating provisions of the Maintenance of Peace and Order Act (MOPA) Act.
The eight are: Chauke (42) of Chauke and Associates Legal Practitioners was with Mollen Shonhai (27), Gladmore Gungubu (18), Kudzai Madyira (27), Charles Mungate (50), Lloyd Mushari (26), Agrippa Dhambureni (29) and Simon Hlomani (56).
They were arrested on 05 July 2023 for allegedly disobeying police instructions to disperse from Tshovani Stadium, the venue for a CCC that had not been approved by the police.
According to Zimbabwe Lawyers for Human Rights (ZLHR), released the suspects on Monday and ordered them to return for trial on 21 July 2023. <a href="https://twitter.com/ZLHRLawyers/status/1680902207955419138?s=20">Said ZLHR</a>:
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In Masvingo, High Court Judge Justice Zisengwe has ordered the release from prison on bail of 8 Chiredzi residents including lawyer, Farai Chauke, on charges of contravening the MOPO Act. They all return to court on 21 July for trial.
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Following the arrest of the nine by the police, <a href="https://twitter.com/ZLHRLawyers/status/1678712138746167298?s=20">ZLHR tweeted on 11 July</a>:
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In Chiredzi, a lawyer &amp; 8 residents are in prison as they were denied bail last week after they were arrested &amp; charged with contravening provisions of the repressive Maintenance of Peace &amp; Order (MOPO) Act, which is being abused to ban opposition political parties’ pre-election campaign activities.
Farai Chauke, a 42-year-old lawyer, of Chauke &amp; Associates Legal Practitioners, was arrested on Wednesday 5 July 2023 together with 7 Chiredzi residents namely Mollen Shonhai aged 27 years, Gladmore Gungubu aged 18 years, Kudzai Madyira aged 27 years, Charles Mungate aged 50 years, Lloyd Mushari aged 26 years, Agrippa Dhambureni aged 29 years &amp; Simon Hlomani aged 56 years after some @PoliceZimbabwe officers threw teargas canisters at some opposition @CCCZimbabwe political party supporters, who were reportedly gathered outside Tshovani Stadium in Chiredzi in Masvingo province.
Chauke, Shonhai, Gungubu, Madyira, Mungate, Mushari, Dhambureni &amp; Hlomani were charged with failure to comply with conditions under which a meeting is authorised as defined in section 8(ii) of the MOPO Act.
Prosecutors alleged that the 8 Chiredzi residents refused to comply with an order in which they were told to disperse from Tshovani Stadium after law enforcement agents prohibited @CCCZimbabwe from holding a campaign rally that had been scheduled for Wednesday 5 July 2023.
Prosecutors claimed that Chauke, Shonhai, Gungubu, Madyira, Mungate, Mushari, Dhambureni &amp; Hlomani, who were represented by Ross Chavi of @ZLHRLawyers, started singing some political songs &amp; threw stones towards ZRP officers after being told to disperse.
On Friday, Chiredzi Magistrate Vimbai Mutukwa denied bail to the eight residents after ruling that Zimbabwe was now in pre-election season and that there would be a propensity among them to commit similar offences.
Magistrate Mutukwa then remanded Chauke, Shonhai, Gungubu, Madyira, Mungate, Mushari, Dhambureni and Hlomani to 14 July, where their trial is scheduled to commence.
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More: <a href="https://www.pindula.co.zw/">Pindula News</a>

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