via Bail ruling for Apostolic sect members postponed| The Zimbabwean. 10 June 2014
The High Court today postponed to Thursday June 12 the bail appeal by 24 members of the Madzibaba Ishmael Mufani of the Johanne Masowe eChishanu Apostolic sect, who are accused of assaulting police officers, Apostolic Christian Council of Zimbabwe officials and journalists in Budiriro, Harare.
Their lawyer, Obey Shava said the matter was postponed after the State indicated that they had received their bail submissions this morning.
“The state had not responded to our appeal and state counsel represented by a Mr Chesa said that they had received our papers this morning,” said Shava.
Shava filed a bail appeal following the dismissal of their initial freedom bid by a Harare magistrate, Vakayi Chikwekwe last week.
Magistrate Chikwekwe denied the suspects bail arguing that their release would cause a public outcry.
The group is charged with public violence following their participation on May 30 this year in the attack on 26 police officers, journalists and officials from the ACCZ led by Bishop Johannes Ndanga.
Ndanga in the company of the police had visited their Budiriro 2 shrine to ban the church over allegations of gross abuse of women and children’s rights.
The sect leader, Madzibaba Ishmael Mufani is still on the run.
COMMENTS
God help us if we cannot get rid of these political appointees and stoogies masquerading as purveyors of justice. One, the magistrate denies them bail because it “will cause public outcry”? What happened to the legal merits of something as simple as bail hearing? As if that is not bad enough a higher court, the High Court, postpones the bail hearing because the state alleges it received the bail application papers on the morning of the hearing? Papers once filed will show a date stamp and the date of service should also be reflected on the papers. If the defendants served the state on time, then there is no legal justification for the postponement. Unfortunately,we all know that our judicial system has gone to the dogs and it is just an extension of ZANU PF. How sad.
Magistrate Chikwekwe denied the suspects bail arguing that their release would cause a public outcry.
Yes they would be treated as hero’s!
Public outcry?? More like massive public support , why doesn’t the whole country shave their heads and grow a beard in solidarity??
TZ president Jacob Ngarivhume has been arrested by state security agents and is currently detained at Chimanimani police station