As part of her bail conditions, Mtetwa was ordered not to interfere with state witnesses. High Court Judge, Justice Joseph Musakwa had on Friday postponed the bail application to today.
Musakwa’s granting of bail to Mtetwa overrules an earlier judgment by Harare Magistrate, Marehwanazvo Gofa.
Gofa had denied the prominent lawyer bail on the grounds that if released, she was likely to interfere with state witnesses and cause commotion as she had done during her arrest on 17 March.
However, Musakwa concurred with the defense counsels submission that the Magistrates Court had misdirected itself by refusing Mtetwa bail.
The defense counsel, led by Advocate Thabani Mpofu submitted that the state had failed to substantiate its argument that Mtetwa will interfere with state witnesses and cause commotion if released on bail Mtetwa was arrested on Sunday 17 March 2013 and charged with contravening Section 184 (1) (g) of the Criminal Law (Codification and Reform) Act for allegedly defeating or obstructing the course of justice.
She is facing charges of trying to block police from conducting searches at the house of MDC-T official, Thabani Mpofu after she argued that the police search warrant was illegal.
Mpofu, together with tyhree officials from the Prime Minister’s Office, Felix Matsinde, Warship Dumba and Mehluli Tshuma are facing charges of violating the Official Secrets Act.
They were on Wednesday last week denied bail by the Magistrates Court on the grounds that they are facing serious charges and are a flight risk.
It is the state’s case that the four were found in possession of illegal documents some of which detailed the background of the Commissioner General of police, Augustine Chihuri while others talked about Attorney General, Johannes Tomana.
Post published in: News