HarareThe trial of human rights lawyer Alec Muchadehama (Pictured) will proceed next week with the state expected to line up more witnesses.The case was adjourned Monday after a brief hearing at the Harare magistrate court.
Lawyer representing Muchadehama Denford Halimani of told journalists that the matter has been adjourned to October 22.
The state will continue to line up witnesses. They are a number of witnesses to be lined up maybe five or seven. We still have a long way to go before the case is finalised. We hope some of the witnesses will not have much to say if we are to go by the statements we have, Halimani said.
Halimani said, There is a difference of opinion. The state thinks that seven days is seven straight days including public holidays and weekends. The basis of the state is that my client facilitated the release of the people before the expiry of seven working days.
He added that it is defences opinion that the state does not have a good case.
People cannot be detained for a long time because of a technicality of public holidays, he said.
Muchadehama is accused of having secured, in collusion with Constance Gambara, the Clerk of the High Court Judge Justice Chinembiri Bhunu, the unlawful release on bail of freelance photo-journalist Andrison Manyere, and two MDC-T members on April 17 last year, detained following their abduction by state security agents in 2008.
The state alleges that Muchadehama unlawfully and intentionally impaired the dignity, reputation or authority of a court or realising that there was real risk or possibility of impairing the dignity, reputation or authority of a court by causing the release of the three abductees while he was aware of Justice Bhunus judgment in which he granted the state leave to appeal against an earlier bail order by Justice Charles Hungwe.
Muchadehama was arrested last April by Law and Order police officers at the Rotten Row Magistrates Court on allegations of obstructing the course of justice.
In July state prosecutors failed to nail Muchadehama on the contempt of court charges after Harare Magistrate Munamato Mutevedzi described the performance of prosecutors as nonsense and ineptitude of the worst type.
chadehama was arrested last April by Law and Order police officers at the Rotten Row Magistrates Court on allegations of obstructing the course of justice.
In July state prosecutors failed to nail Muchadehama on the contempt of court charges after Harare Magistrate Munamato Mutevedzi described the performance of prosecutors as nonsense and ineptitude of the worst type.
Post published in: Politics