Bail ruling for Apostolic sect members postponed

The High Court today postponed to Thursday June 12 the bail appeal by 24 members of the Madzibaba Ishmael Mufani of the Johanne Masowe eChishanu Apostolic sect, who are accused of assaulting police officers, Apostolic Christian Council of Zimbabwe officials and journalists in Budiriro, Harare.

Their lawyer, Obey Shava said the matter was postponed after the State indicated that they had received their bail submissions this morning.

“The state had not responded to our appeal and state counsel represented by a Mr Chesa said that they had received our papers this morning,” said Shava.

Shava filed a bail appeal following the dismissal of their initial freedom bid by a Harare magistrate, Vakayi Chikwekwe last week.

Magistrate Chikwekwe denied the suspects bail arguing that their release would cause a public outcry.

The group is charged with public violence following their participation on May 30 this year in the attack on 26 police officers, journalists and officials from the ACCZ led by Bishop Johannes Ndanga.

Ndanga in the company of the police had visited their Budiriro 2 shrine to ban the church over allegations of gross abuse of women and children’s rights.

The sect leader, Madzibaba Ishmael Mufani is still on the run.

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