Ngarivhume bail hearing postponed to Friday

Harare (New Ziana) – Harare Magistrate Trynos Utahwashe on Monday postponed to Friday the bail ruling for failed July 31 demonstrations leader, Jacob Ngarivhume who is facing charges of inciting public violence.

Ngarivhume, leader of the little known, Transform Zimbabwe political party was arrested on July 20 for calling on people to demonstrate against the government for allegedly failing to government.

Authorities insist the demonstrations were a disguise to unconstitutionally unseat the government.

The demonstrations were organised at a time the country is under a lockdown and large gathering are banned given the outbreak of the Covid-19 pandemic which as at Sunday 16 August had killed 132 people and infected 5 261 people.

Ngarivhume has tried numerous times to get bail at both the Magistrates Court and the High Court but has to date failed, leading his lawyers from the Zimbabwe Lawyers for Human Rights to reapply for bail under changed circumstances given that the date for the protest has come and gone.

The ruling was set down for Monday, but Ngarivhume’s lawyer, Moses Nkomo said they had been advised of the postponement.

“We have been advised that he will hand down his ruling on Friday, 21 August, 2020, so we wait for Friday and see how the court will determine the matter,” he told reporters after appearing in court.

No reason was given for the delay.

Nkomo complained that prison authorities were still denying his client social visits and access to food from outside.

“Prison is a difficult place, we have had issues with the enforcement of the order that we obtained from the High Court. He was denied social visits, he was denied food from outside, they have said that the food ought to be bought online notwithstanding that it is very expensive to deliver food that is bought online,” he said.

The High Court last week said Ngarivhume must be allowed his rights but gave prison authorities discretion to determine some of the issues in the interest of protecting other prisoners.
New Ziana