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Herald Reporter
THREE MDC-Alliance members — Joana Mamombe (Harare West MP), Cecilia Chimbiri and Netsai Marova — were yesterday remanded in custody at Parktown Hospital in Harare on charges of contravening the lockdown by participating in an illegal demonstration in Warren Park.

Harare magistrate Mrs Barbara Mateko presided over the court session at the hospital where the three are admitted and remanded them in custody at the hospital to today for her ruling on the amount of bail and the bail conditions.

Mamombe, Chimbiri and Marova, who were represented by lawyers, Jeremiah Bamu and Roselyn Hanzi were not asked to plead.

Prosecutor Mrs Tinashe Makiya consented to $2 000 bail each with the three reporting three times a week to CID Law and Order Section, among other conditions.

The three, however, complained that their male co-accused — Stanely Masasi Manyenga and Lovejoy Chitengu — were freed on $1 000 bail each.

Prosecutor Makiya denied discriminating against Mamombe, Chimbiri and Marova saying cases were treated on their own merits and noted that the presiding magistrate had the discretion to determine bail conditions.

Magistrate Mateko said she was not privy to what happened to Manyenga and Chitengu and wanted to look into their court records before making a determination on bail for the three.

Mamombe, Chimbiri and Marova indicated through their lawyers that they had complaints against the police, which they wanted to place on record before the court. The State, however, indicated that their complaints were being looked into through on-going investigations.

Prosecutor Makiya said they were supposed to file affidavits citing the complaints they wished to raise on June 2, with the State responding on June 16, while the court would make a ruling on their next remand date.

Mamombe, Chimbiri and Marova notified the State that they would make an application to have the matter referred to the Constitutional Court where they will challenge their arrest and alleged human rights violations.

The three were then provisionally remanded to today for the ruling on the amount of bail and are expected back in court on July 2 for their routine remand.