Republic Police, Collen Musorowegomo for publishing a document exposing state sponsored violence in Bindura during the 2008 elections have been granted bail by the High Court.
Dodo, now a lecturer in the Peace and Government Studies department at Bindura University and Musorowegomo, a Master’s Degree student in the same department were granted $300 bail each by High Court Judge, Justice November Mtshiya today.
The pair was arrested on 19 November this year.
As part of their bail conditions, the duo was ordered to reside at their given addresses and not interfere with state investigations.
They were ordered to report once every Friday to their nearest police stations.
The pair was represented by Alec Muchadehama from the Zimbabwe Lawyers for Human Rights.
Initially, the state, led by Edmore Makoto had opposed bail arguing the pair were a flight risk and likely to interfere with state investigations.
It is the state’s case that the two connived to author a document titled “Political intolerance, diversity and democracy: Youths Violence in Bindura Urban, Zimbabwe” which was posted to the website of the American International Journal of Contemporary Research.
The document identified the CIO, army, police and prison guards as having urged youths in Bindura to engage in acts of violence between 1999-2011.
The two are being charged under Section 31 (a) of the Criminal Law (Codification) and Reform Act Chapter 9:23 which criminalises the publication of information prejudicial to the state.
However, the two contend that the document was purely for academic purposes.
Earlier this month, Dodo’s sister, Elizabeth Dodo was quoted by an online news agency (SW Radio Africa) claiming her brother was being tortured by the CIO in detention.
There were reports that Dodo was being kept in solitary confinement and being denied access to lawyers and family visits during the first periods of his arrest.
Post published in: News