Kudzayi, who is facing charges of attempting to subvert a constitutionally elected government as defined in section 22 (2) (a)(1) of the Criminal Law (Codification and Reform) Act (Chapter 9: 23) or alternatively attempting to commit acts of insurgency, banditry, sabotage or terrorism and undermining the authority of the president was ordered to continue residing at his given address, 65 Brooks Drive, Hillside and not to leave the 40 kilometre radius from Harare Main Post office, among other bail conditions.
“The applicant is to surrender title deeds for the property, 65 Brooks Drive, Hillside, Harare which is owned by his parents,” read part 9(f) of the state’s response to Kudzayi’s bail application submitted last week.
Kudzayi was also ordered not to interfere with witnesses, investigations or evidence against him and to surrender the password to the email account called babajukwa2013@gmail.com to the investigating officer, Assistant Commissioner Crispen Makedenge.
In its response, the state however argued that the state’s case against the applicant is very strong as police investigations have revealed that the applicant is the main administrator of the Baba Jukwa gmail account as his details were on the recovery panel of the said account.
It is the state’s case that sometime in April last year, Kudzayi connived with his elder brother, Phillip, and others still at large and “hatched a plan to overthrow the government by unconstitutional means” in the run-up to July 31 general elections.
The State alleges that Kudzayi planned and organised with some of his colleagues calling themselves, The Gunda Nleya Brigade and Zimbabwe Revolutionary Army, to overthrow the government “through waging a war”.
Pursuant to their plans, it is alleged, Kudzayi, posted articles on the Baba Jukwa Facebook page, which reportedly encouraged rebellion against the government if the July 31 general elections were rigged.
Kudzayi and his group further posted articles on social networks to the effect that they had a war committee in place and that a team was on the ground studying and monitoring the situation in Zimbabwe.
On May 11 this year, the Sunday Mail editor, according to the State, published a story about the alleged true identity of Baba Jukwa titled “Hackers unmask Baba Jukwa” which implicated two journalists based in South Africa who correspond for The Zimbabwean newspaper.
The two, Mxolisi Ncube and Mkhululi Chimoio, however, denied any links to the faceless Facebook character.
Police investigations indicate that Kudzayi was in control of Baba Jukwa’s Gmail account as his details were on the recovery panel of the same account.
His brother, Phillip, who was arrested recently, has also been advised to apply for bail at the High Court, while police say they are hunting for 10 other alleged accomplices, among them the editor of The Zimbabwean, Wilf Mbanga, and his wife, Patricia.
Romeo Musemburi, 20, a University of Zimbabwe (UZ) economics student, who allegedly called on Baba Jukwa to supply guns for a revolt, this week surrendered himself to the police. He has been taken to court and is in custody pending a bail application at the High Court.
Post published in: News