By James Muonwa, Mashonaland West Correspondent
THE trial of 12 MDC Alliance officials arrested February this year at the party’s Chinhoyi offices during a meeting police claim was in defiance of Covid-19 lockdown regulations, was Tuesday deferred due to the absence of a key state witness.
The court heard the state had failed to summon an unidentified chief witness to testify in the matter.
The matter was remanded to 6 May when trial is expected to start.
MDC Alliance Mashonaland West chairman, Raphael Magunje, who is among the accused persons, confirmed the deferment.
“The trial could not proceed as the state had not called its key witness on time. Therefore, the matter was further moved and we will be back in court on 6 May for the start of trial,” said Magunje.
By James Muonwa, Mashonaland West Correspondent
THE trial of 12 Mashonaland West MDC Alliance officials is expected to kick off on 13 April.
The officials were arrested last month at the party’s Chinhoyi offices while holding a meeting which authorities say was in defiance of Covid-19 lockdown regulations.
The dozen activists will have their day in court after magistrate Lisa Mutendereki Wednesday threw out their application for refusal of further remand arguing there was a prima facie case against them.
At their previous appearance, the 12, through their lawyer Fortune Murisi, had argued they did not commit any offence and described their arrests as unlawful.
By James Muonwa, Mashonaland West Correspondent
THE lawyer representing 12 MDC Alliance officials, arrested last month at the party’s Chinhoyi offices holding a meeting allegedly in defiance of Covid-19 lockdown regulations, has applied for refusal of further remand.
Fortune Murisi argued the accused persons did not commit any offence and described their arrests as unlawful.
On Friday, he lodged the application before Chinhoyi magistrate Lisa Mutendereki, who deferred her ruling to 31 March 2021.
Said Murisi after the court hearing; “We applied for refusal of further remand, the argument being that no offence was committed neither a reasonable suspicion that an offence was committed.
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By James Muonwa, Mashonaland West Correspondent
THERE are fears that 11 of the 12 MDC Alliance officials, recently arrested for holding a meeting in defiance of Covid-19 regulations, could have contracted the deadly virus while detained at Chinhoyi Police Station.
One of the officials was arrested and placed in holding cells while recuperating from lethal respiratory disease.
The opposition party functionaries, who are provincial administrative committee (PAC) officials, were Saturday arrested at the party’s Chinhoyi offices in Mzari suburb, and force-marched to the police station before being thrown into holding cells for two nights.
One of the MDC Alliance officials, Kudakwashe Chigumo, who is also Karoi Urban Ward 6 councillor, tested Covid-19 positive on 18 January 2021 and fell critically ill for a prolonged period before his slight recovery this month.