Source: ‘Killer’ MDC-T activists denied bail – NewsDay Zimbabwe July 27, 2017
THE three MDC-T activists arrested in Harare last month over the death of a riot police officer, Talkmore Phiri, were yesterday denied bail by High Court judge, Justice Priscilla Chigumba, who ruled that they were flight risks.
BY CHARLES LAITON/STEPHEN CHADENGA
Vendor, Barnabas Mwanaka and his co-accused, Darlington Madzonga and Edmore Musvubhi, are accused of causing Phiri’s death on June 29 following clashes near the MDC-T headquarters.
It is the State’s case that on June 29 this year, the now-deceased, Phiri, was deployed to the Police Reaction Group together with his colleagues to assess the level of property damage at the Deeds Office, adjacent to the MDC-T’s offices, following demonstrations.
The State alleges Phiri and his colleagues were in a Mitsubishi Canter truck when they met Mwanaka and his associates, who operate vending sites in front of the opposition party’s headquarters.
Mwanaka and his alleged accomplices allegedly teamed up and attacked the police officers, leaving Phiri seriously injured.
He later died at Parirenyatwa Group of Hospital.
Tonderai Bhatasara represented the accused.
In a related development, MDC-T Midlands South provincial youth chairperson, Livingstone Chiminya yesterday appeared in court charged with the intention to promote violence after he allegedly led an anti-Zimbabwe Electoral Commission demonstration in Gweru last week.
Chiminya was granted $100 bail and remanded to August 21 by provincial magistrate, Phathekile Msipa
He joins six other MDC-T youths, who appeared in court on Monday facing similar charges and were remanded to the same date.
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