The state, represented by Area Prosecutor, Jonathan Murombedzi and Michael Reza, said it needed time to study bail submissions made by defence lawyers, since the accused were facing serious charges.
Human rights lawyers led by Trust Maanda denied the charges and described them as baseless and void of evidence on which the state can prosecute.
“These are frivolous charges by the state. My clients deny ever possessing the mentioned documents and the state has failed to provide evidence before the courts to support its case.
“In fact, one of my clients was actually abducted by some militia in the absence of police. The militia did not search her house but actually ransacked it. She was also thoroughly beaten up. I am advised that when the militia arrived at her place, they had some unidentified objects in the hands,” said Maanda.
He added that, an “intruder” also raided another accused’s place and failed to identify himself, subsequently emerging holding mysterious documents that he claimed to have obtained from the house.
He said police failed to bring credible evidence before the courts, save for a blank white copy which meant nothing at all. “Evidence must be brought before the courts in a complete manner. The accused should also be taken to the site of search and an inventory has to be made. Nothing of that sort was ever done in this respect. The state is simply trying to lie in this case,” said Maanda.
Maanda said reasons given by the state to deny bail were a mockery to the judicial system.
“Surely, how can a respected court of law deny the accused bail on the grounds that they will be unlawfully attacked by war veterans if they are let free? Under normal circumstances, the detained innocent would be granted his liberty, while the known violent war veterans would be brought to justice,” said Maanda.
The defence lawyers applied for $50 bail each, accompanied with reporting instructions. It challenged the state to speed up the process ‘since innocent people’s liberty was at stake.”
The State was urged to speedily carry out its “research”.
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