Four UZ students denied bail

Yeukai Karengezeka

Court Correspondent

The four University of Zimbabwe students who defaced church, court and Parliament buildings in central Harare by spray painting on them were denied bail yesterday by Harare magistrate Ms Learmore Mapiye and remanded in custody to June 21 on charges of malicious damage to property. 

They drew graffiti on the outside walls of the High Court of Zimbabwe, the old Parliament building, the Methodist Trinity Church and the Constitutional Court.

 Emmanuel Sitima (24), Comfort Mpofu (22), Tawanda Watadza (24) and Lionel Wadamombe (24) are each facing seven counts of malicious damage to property.

Ms Mapiye denied them bail stating that the four were likely to team up with others and commit similar offences.

“The State has a strong case, if the accused are released on bail, they will team up with others who are outside to commit further offences, and those still at large pose a threat to the ongoing investigations,” she said.

“The buildings which were tainted including the Parliament of Zimbabwe are serious buildings, therefore, the bail application is dismissed.” 

Allegations are that on May 14, 2023, the four, together with others who are still at large, went around the city centre protesting the continued refusal of the courts to grant bail to CCC legislator and deputy national chairman Job Sikhala.

They spray-painted and defaced several building walls in the city without the consent of the owners while demanding the immediate release of Sikhala who has three pending cases before the courts.