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Dudu Manhenga

Daniel Nemukuyu Senior Reporter
THE High Court yesterday postponed to Tuesday the hearing in which jailed Jazz crooner Dudu Manhenga is seeking to be released from prison pending determination of her appeal. Manhenga, who was jailed 18 months for culpable homicide and driving without a licence, lost her first freedom bid before a Harare magistrate this week and she immediately filed a bail appeal at the High Court.

Yesterday Justice Hlekani Mwayera deferred the bail hearing after it emerged that the musician’s lawyers Scanlen and Holderness had not provided the court with a transcribed record of proceedings.

She only filed a record that was written in long hand, which the court felt was not legible enough.
The court also wants the musician to file an original notice of appeal and to properly paginate the record.

Law officer Mrs Sharon Sindika-Fero represented the State while Advocate Isaiah Mureriwa acted for the musician.
Yesterday Manhenga’s lawyer Mr Evans Moyo of Scanlen and Holderness confirmed filing a bail appeal saying his client deserved to be out on bail. Ms Murwisi dismissed Manhenga’s first application saying she was facing serious offences and there was a high chance of absconding if granted bail.  Manhenga argues that the magistrate should not have refused bail when the appeal was only against sentence. She argues that she was a proper candidate for bail and that the magistrate should have released her.

For driving with a learner driver’s licence without supervision, Manhenga was slapped with a US$300 fine.
The court also slapped her with a six months jail term, which was wholly suspended for five years on condition that within the next five years, she does not commit a similar offence.

For culpable homicide, Manhenga was slapped with a two-year jail term, before magistrate Murwisi set aside six months for five years on condition of good behaviour.
Manhenga was left with a year and six months effective jail term.