Harare Mayor Councillor Herbert Gomba has been denied bail by Harare Magistrate Bianca Makwande following his arrest on Tuesday on charges of abuse of office.
In denying bail to Gomba, Makwande said he is likely to interfere with witnesses and that there is a likelihood of him fleeing outside the country since he faces a harsh sentence if convicted.
Gomba’s lawyer Professor Lovemore Madhuku had told the court that there was no evidence to deny bail to his client while he also submitted that Glen Norah councillor be allowed to pay RTGS$5000 and surrender his passport as part of the bail conditions.
Madhuku also condemned the conduct of the police whom he accused of delaying to have Gomba appear in court.
He will be back in court on the 7th of August.
Meanwhile, journalist Hopewell Chin’ono who was arrested on Monday on allegations of inciting public violence has also been denied bail by the Harare Magistrate Ngoni Nduna on the basis that he is a danger to the public because he has not yet completed his mission of inciting people to demonstrate on 31 July.
Chin’ono will return to court on the 7th of August.
He arrested together with 31 July protest convenor and Transform Zimbabwe leader Jacob Ngarivhume who was also denied bail by the same court yesterday.
