The ruling by Justice Felistas Chatukuta sets aside a previous judgment by Harare Magistrate, Trust Mahwe, who had on 16 January denied Machisa bail saying that his case was of national interest as it involved defrauding the Registrar General’s office.
Mahwe argued that the state needed ample time to carry out investigations across all ZimRights offices in the country, thus he could not grant Machisa bail.
In granting the bail, Justice Chatukuta ordered Machisa to deposit
$500 with the Clerk of Court, reside at his given address, surrender title deeds of an immovable property as well as report to the police once every week.
Machisa was arrested on 14 January on allegations of trying to defraud the Registrar General’s Office by forging and manufacturing counterfeit copies of certificates of voter registration.
His lawyer, Beatrice Mtetwa, had filed the bail application at the High Court after the refusal by Mahwe to grant her client bail.
Machisa’s co-accused, Leo Chamahwinya, who is ZimRights’ Programmes Manager, has been languishing in remand prison since December last year.
Chamahwinya was arrested together with Dorcas Shereni, Tanaka Chinaka and Farai Bhani.
Post published in: News