Harare magistrate Ngoni Nduna has postponed the trial of six Movement for Democratic Change Alliance (MDCA) youth leaders to 13 May after state indicated its intention to add incarcerated activist Makomborero Haruzivishe on the case.
Haruzivishe is serving 14 months in jail for for inciting public violence and resisting arrest.
The six MDC Alliance who appeared in court today, Joana Mamombe, Tererai Sithole, Cecilia Chimbiri, Netsai Marova, Lovejoy Chitengu, and Stan Manyenga who are being represented by Obey Shava of the Zimbabwe Lawyers for Human Rights (ZLHR) stands accused of participating in an anti-government protest on the 13th of May 2020 in breach of lockdown measures.
Following the flash demonstration which was held in Warren Park, Mamombe, Chimbiri, and Marova were arrested at a police roadblock on their way to the Harare Central Business District (CBD).
They were later abducted from a Harare central police station and taken to an unknown location where they were physically and sexually abused by their armed captors over a two-day period in Bindura before they were dumped by the roadside.
They were later arrested for ‘faking’ their abduction and the matter is still within the courts.
Meanwhile, Sithole, the party youth chair posted on his social media platform saying, “i have just been arrested on my way out of court, am yet to be advised of my charge. I remain unshaken, till freedom!”
His lawyer, Obey Shava said that he was attending to him at the Harare central police staion.
He said no charges has been laid yet.
