High Court Judge Ends Incarceration of Pastor Mawarire by Ordering His Release...

High Court Judge Ends Incarceration of Pastor Mawarire by Ordering His Release on Bail

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HIGH Court Judge Justice Clement Phiri on Wednesday 08 February 2017 ended the detention of Pastor Evan Mawarire after granting him bail following a freedom bid mounted by his lawyers early this week.

Justice Phiri who, presided over the bail application in which the clergyman’s lawyers argued that the State was out to persecute their client through prosecution, ruled that the State case against Pastor Mawarire was weak.

Justice Phiri ruled that the State, whose representatives Edmore Nyazamba and Tapiwa Kasema of the National Prosecuting Authority, opposed the bail application, had not submitted compelling reasons to justify the denial of bail to Pastor Mawarire.

The High Court Judge ordered Pastor Mawarire, who was represented by Harrison Nkomo and Jeremiah Bamu of Zimbabwe Lawyers for Human Rights to pay a bail deposit amounting to $300, to report twice a week on Mondays and Fridays at Avondale Police Station until the matter is finalised, to surrender his passport to the Clerk of Court at Harare Magistrates Court and not to interfere with witnesses in the matter.

The clergyman had to petition the High Court for admission to bail after Harare Magistrate Elisha Singano on Friday 03 February 2017 remanded him in custody after he dismissed an application filed by his lawyers challenging his placement on remand.

Pastor Mawarire was arrested on Wednesday 01 February 2017 by Zimbabwe Republic Police (ZRP) officers upon his return to the country and charged with subverting a constitutional government as defined in Section 22 (2) (a) of the Criminal Law (Codification and Reform) Act Chapter 9:23.

On Thursday 02 February 2017, the ZRP officers added more woes to Pastor Mawarire after they charged him with insulting the national flag in contravention of Section 6 of the Flag of Zimbabwe Act Chapter 10:10 and inciting public violence as defined in Section 36 of the Criminal Law (Codification and Reform) Act Chapter 9:23.