MARTIN MAWAYA
High Court Judge Sunsley Zisengwe has granted bail to eight individuals including a four months old baby accused of staging a protest on March 31.
Their freedom follows an appeal by their lawyers Esau Mandipa and Leopold Mudisi against the magistrate court decision to deny them bail.
Justice Zisengwe set aside the magistrate court decision before ordering the appellants to deposit US$100 each with the clerk of court in Gweru.
“The appeal against the refusal by the court of the Magistrate sitting at Gweru Magistrates Court to admit Appellants to bail on the 14th of April 2025 be and is hereby allowed.
“Accordingly, the decision to deny the Appellants bail be and is hereby set aside and substituted by the following:
“All the accused persons be and are hereby admitted to bail on the following conditions: Each accused person shall pay a bail deposit in the sum of US100.00 through the Clerk of Court at Gweru Magistrates Court,” reads the order.
The judge said Victor Changa, Philimon Mawere, Movern Vurayayi, Wellington Chirozva, Jamson Mugwisi, Mitchel Nyathi, Sue Kombora and Parerenyatwa Nyika should continue residing at their residents on the court schedule until the matter is finalized.
He ordered that all the appellants should not interfere with any witnesses, evidence or investigations.
They were also ordered to report to police stations on each and every Friday between the hours of 6am and 6pm until the matter is finalized.
In their appeal to the high court, Mandipa and Mudisi argued that the court a quo erred and misdirected itself in denying the accused persons bail.
