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Nyore Madzianike

Senior Court Reporter

Two MDC-Alliance activists who, with accomplices still at large, allegedly grabbed bales of rubbish and burnt them in central Harare on Thursday last week as a protest, should hear today whether or not their bail applications have been accepted.

Harare magistrate Mr Dennis Mangosi is expected to make his ruling on the bail application.

 The two claim severe mistreatment in police cells after being arrested for illegally demonstrating in Harare’s city centre on the day. Munyaradzi John Daniel Mafararikwa (26) and Legwan Mavhunga (36), who were being represented by lawyer Mr Webster Jiti, applied for bail, arguing that they were proper candidates for bail and each offered to deposit $5 000 bail and accept the usual conditions. 

The State opposed bail, noting that other like-minded people had continued to commit similar offences while on bail and seemed to regard such cases as trivial. Mr Lancelot Mutsokoti, appearing for the State, also argued that the two were a flight risk and were also likely to interfere with witnesses. It is alleged that on Thursday last week at around 11.30am, the two and their accomplices, who are still at large went to Copacabana bus terminus and approached Shepherd Manyere who was collecting heaps of garbage and forcibly grabbed them.

They then allegedly took the bales north to the nearby corner of Joseph Msika Street and Jason Moyo Avenue where they started burning them, endangering free movement of traffic and people.