In Penhalonga, Manicaland province, the three MDC supporters who had been in remand prison for over a week on allegations of singing a song that undermined the authority of the President at a funeral were released on Monday. Patrick Chikoti, Faith Mudiwa and Phillip Dowera were granted bail on 7 February by Magistrate Eniya Ndiraya but the State invoked the notorious Section 121 of the Criminal Procedure and Evidence Act that suspends the bail order for seven more days.
Duduzile Sibanda, the MDC district member for Bulawayo Central was this morning remanded out of custody to 3 March because witnesses in her case were rushing to Harare to attend Mugabes 87th birthday bash to be held on Saturday. Sibanda, 58, was arrested in March 2008 on allegations of defacing a Zanu PF campaign poster. She has been appearing before the Bulawayo courts since 2009 and frequently remanded till further notice.
In Umguza, Matabeleland North, the District Administrator for Ntabazinduna has issued a circular to all councillors in the district to help in the recruitment of youths between 18 and 35 years in the army. Anyone who has done only Grade Seven qualifies for training. The letter dated 21 February 2011, states that by 8 March 2011recruitment should be completed.
Meanwhile, in Plumtree, Matabeleland South province, there are reports that there is a training army base with at least 120 youths that were recruited in December last year through the same exercise. The base is at a farm situated about 5km out of Plumtree town.
In Manicaland province, Jane Mahichani and 11 others of Mutare South who are facing spurious charges of extortion, for demanding their property that was looted by Zanu PF thugs during the 2008 post election violence, were today further remanded out of custody to 6 April for ruling when they appeared before a Mutare Magistrate.
Mahichani and her co-accused persons have been appearing in court since 2008.
The MDC Today – Issue 154
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