Ngarivhume freed on 50k bail

Harare (New Ziana) – The High Court on Wednesday granted $50 000 bail to opposition activist Jacob Ngarivhume, who was arrested in July on charges of inciting public violence.

Justice Paul Musithu granted Ngarivhume his freedom on the fourth attempt, after three previous bail applications at the magistrates court and the High court were thrown out.

Bail was granted with strict conditions.

“Justice Musithu has ended the detention of Transform Zimbabwe party leader Jacob Ngarivhume by granting him $50 000 bail, barring him from sharing messages on Twitter, ordering him to report three times per week to the Police and also to surrender his passport,” his legal representatives, the Zimbabwe Lawyers for Human Rights, said.

Ngarivhume had applied for bail at the High Court on the basis of changed circumstances, given that the date of the protests he, and another activist Hopewell Chin’ono, are accused of mobilising people to take part in had passed.

The Magistrates court had earlier dismissed the application because, in its view, the protest plans were not necessarily time-bound but ongoing.

Ngarivhume, along with Chin’ono were arrested after posting social media messages allegedly encouraging people to take part in banned protests against the government.

The protests, the latest in a series called by the opposition and allied civic groups, were pencilled for July 31, but flopped dismally nationwide.
New Ziana