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Tendai Rupapa Senior Court Reporter
Some of the Zanu-PF supporters assaulted by MDC-T activists last week in Epworth cannot be interviewed yet because they were so badly injured and are still in hospital, investigating officer Assistant Inspector Clifford Mugaviri said yesterday when giving evidence while opposing the granting of bail of eight MDC-T activists.
MDC-T Ward 11 councillor Antony Shingadeya (52), Songi Chari (32), Veronica Chinembiri (35), Alex Makina (33), Nyararai Chipindu (52), Moses Chindanga (26), Kholwani Makina (26) and Emmerson Makahamadze (27) appeared before magistrate Mr Tendai Mahwe charged with public violence.

Asst Insp Mugaviri said the accused persons were not proper candidates for bail, considering that the investigations were still ongoing.
He was yet to interview some of the complainants who were admitted to hospital, adding that their condition was serious.

“If granted bail they are likely to abscond since they are facing a serious offence. There is also a likelihood of interference because the complainants and the accused persons reside in the same area,” he said.

Asst Insp Mugaviri said he was yet to confirm the residential addresses provided by the activists.
He was, however, subjected to a thorough cross examination by the group’s lawyer Mr Musindo Hungwe and Mr Marufu Mandevere, who accused him of having no knowledge of the case he was investigating.

Earlier on, prosecutor Miss Sharon Mashavira urged the court to remand the group in custody pending trial.
She added that if convicted, the accused persons face up to 10 years in prison.

“Your worship, offences of this nature are on the increase considering that this past month we have dealt with matters of this nature in which the accused persons are getting into the tendency of disturbing peace.

“Granting them bail will trivialise offences of this nature, which are politically-motivated. The public at large is now living in fear since their leader Morgan Tsvangirai is still touring provinces and addressing rallies.

“The court should honour its duty to protect the society from such perpetrators and the only way is to remand the accused persons in custody,” she said.
The group’s lawyer Mr Hungwe argued that his clients were not arrested at the scene of crime as alleged by the State.

He said some were arrested a day after at their homes, while others were arrested at Epworth Police Station where they had gone to check on their colleagues who had been arrested.

Magistrate Mr Tendai Mahwe rolled over the matter to today for continuation of bail application.