The National Prosecuting Authority (NPA) says it will appeal the decision of the High Court to acquit Citizens Coalition for Change (CCC) activists Joanna Mamombe and Cecilia Chimbiri who were being accused of falsely accusing the state of abducting and torturing them back in 2020.
Mamombe and Chimbiri, who were initially charged with fellow party activist Netsai Marova who skipped the country over alleged persecution, were accused of faking their abduction to soil the government’s image.
They were accused of publishing falsehoods.
In a statement released on Wednesday, 05 July, the NPA said it will appeal Harare High Court judge, Priscilla Munangati Manongwa’s decision to acquit the duo.
The NPA said the judge erred in reaching the not guilty verdict. Reads the statement:
<blockquote>
The State will be appealing the decision of the High Court in the case of Joana Mamombe and Cecelia Revai Chimbiri versus the Chief Magistrate F Mushure NO and the State The State is of the considered view that the judgment is defective for want of compliance with the High Court Act (Chap 7:06) as well as precedent which provides that another Judge must concur with the presiding Judge before the judgment is handed down.
The State is also contending that the Judge grossly misdirected herself by interfering with the unterminated proceedings from the lower court as the termination of proceedings in this case was unjustified.
Furthermore, the State is certain that another court presented with the same facts might come to a different conclusion.
</blockquote>
In her ruling, Justice Manongwa said the state case was full of “malice and falsehoods” in its pursuit of the case.
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