Zimbabwean journalist Hopewell Chin’ono, who was arrested last month for supporting anti-government protests, arrives at court in Harare, Zimbabwe, August 7, 2020. REUTERS/Philimon Bulawayo – RC2X8I926HCY
Chin’ono had spent 17 days detained at Chikurubi Maximum Security
Prison after Harare Magistrate Marehwanazvo Gofa dismissed his bail
application on Thursday 12 November 2020 and ruled that the freelance
journalist had a propensity to commit offences and should remain
incarcerated to stop him from contravening the country’s laws.
But Justice Chitapi on Friday 20 November 2020 ended Chin’ono’s
detention by granting his bail appeal and setting aside Magistrate
Gofa’s ruling.
Justice Chitapi ruled that Chin’ono, who was represented by Beatrice
Mtetwa, Gift Mtisi and Doug Coltart of Zimbabwe Lawyers for Human
Rights, should be admitted to bail pending commencement and a
determination of his trial on charges of defeating or obstructing the
course of justice.
The High Court Judge said the conditions of bail imposed on Chin’ono
on 2 September 2020 in a separate case in which he is accused of
inciting people to commit public violence during an anti-government
demonstration held in July, will apply in his current case.
In addition to Chin’ono’s existing bail conditions, Justice Chitapi
ordered the anti-corruption campaigner not to use his Twitter account
@daddyhope or any other platform or account to disseminate messages
which undermine, defeat or obstruct the course of justice explicitly
or implicitly.