Charged under Section 81(2) of the Criminal Law (Codification and Reform) Act, which criminalises solicitation in a public place, the women were arrested in different places around the city of Harare ranging from streets to pubs and lodges. Thirty-seven of the arrested women pleaded guilty but could not raise the fine and the remaining sixteen pleaded not guilty and were granted USD200 bail. Zimbabwe Lawyers for Human Rights(ZLHR) who represented the women and assisted in the application for bail were concerned by the level of fine and bail given to the women, as the amounts were clearly beyond the reach of the average Zimbabwean.
ZLHR made a complaint against the police on initial remand that some of the women were assaulted by police using baton sticks and were subjected to inhuman and degrading treatment which included being denied sanitary wear. The women will appear in court on Friday 12th of July for trial.