Source: Mutodi freed on bail – DailyNews Live
Tendai Kamhungira 24 August 2017
HARARE – Businessman and Zanu PF official Energy Mutodi was finally
granted bail yesterday by the High Court, to end his miserable stay in
remand prison where he had been confined for nearly two weeks.
The musician-cum politician was granted $100 bail after the State conceded
to his release.
Mutodi is facing charges of undermining the authority of President and
causing disaffection among members of the defence forces.
The charges arose from his Facebook post in which he warned the
93-year-old President Robert Mugabe of the consequences of mishandling the
Zanu PF succession by intimating that failure could trigger a military
coup.
Prosecutor Tapiwa Kasema initially opposed the bail appeal but judge
Felistas Chatukuta asked him to justify his reasons.
Chatukuta said the arguments proffered by the State were in adequate and
lacked the principles justifying bail denial.
“I will concede that the applicant (Mutodi) may be granted bail in terms
of the draft,” Kasema admitted.
Mutodi was ordered to report every Friday to the police, as part of his
bail conditions.
The matter had been previously postponed on two occasions to facilitate
the provision of a record of proceedings from the Harare Magistrates’
Courts, forcing the businessman-cumpolitician to endure two weekends
behind bars.
He had been in remand prison after Harare provincial magistrate Elisha
Singano denied him bail on the basis that he would abscond if released.
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