By Lloyd Takawira
The MDC Alliance Youth Assembly has demanded the release of youth leaders, Joanna Mamombe, Cecilia Chimbiri and Netsai Marova who are spending the whole weekend following the postponement of their bail ruling yesterday.
The three are facing charges of falsifying abduction and defeating the course of justice.
Appearing before Harare magistrate, Bianca Makwande the trio was remanded to Monday the 15 of June.
In it’s submission and opposition for bail, the state represented by Charles Muchemwa, Tafara Chirambira and Teddy Kamuriwo argued that they they are in possession of CCTV footage of the three at Belgravia Shopping Centre at around 4.45pm on May 13, the day they said they were abducted earlier in the afternoon.
The state opposed bail on condition that the three could skip the boarder .
“The borders are porous and they are likely to abscond trial.
“They are facing a serious offence and there is overwhelming evidence against them, ” said Muchemwa.
The trios defense led by lawyers Jeremiah Bamu and Alec Muchadehama tried invain to have the youthful leaders released arguing that, “The court must balance the interest of justice and the interests of the accused.
“Nothing has been placed before the court to suggest the accused should be denied bail. Nothing came from the State in terms of evidence. The accused are denying the charges and the charges are nonsensical and they are being charged for nothing. They are now being turned into villains. The accused would like to make an undertaking that they will voluntarily avail themselves to police whenever they want them.”
Inscessed by the detentions, the MDC Alliance Youth Assembly has demanded that their fellow leaders be released and describing their detention as “a declaration of war on citizens.”
“As an Assembly, we want to make it clear that we are not going to take the latest abuse of our female comrades lightly.We demand for the immediate release of our comrades or else we release our anger!” MDC Alliance Youth Assembly national spokesperson, Stephen Chuma said in a statement.
