HARARE - The state on October 22 handed back money paid by Jestina Mukoko (Pictured) as bail deposit after the collapse of the state's case against her last month.Mukoko’s lawyer, Harrison Nkomo, told ***The Zimbabwean***, that he was handed back the US$ 600 bail and title deeds to her house by the clerk of court at Harare’s Magistrates court.
Mukoko was last year abducted at her Norton home by state security agents in a pre-dawn raid on December 3, 2008. Her whereabouts remained unknown until her appearance in court on December 24, 2008 on charges of sabotage, banditry and terrorism. She was in custody until being granted bail on March 2, 2009, after 92-days in detention.
She was abducted together with about 40 other political and human rights activists Justice Godfrey Chidyausiku ordered a permanent stay of prosecution. Mukoko had approached the court arguing that the state had violated her rights by abducting and charging her of banditry and sabotage.