HARARE – Ex-legislator Amos Chibaya shall remain under prison detection, a Harare magistrate ruled on Monday, adding he was not convinced the prominent opposition politician would not break his bail conditions if granted his prayer for freedom.
Chibaya is accused of inciting fellow CCC activists into committing violence while addressing them at the Harare Magistrates’ Court where party faction leader Jameson Timba and dozens more had been denied bail in June this year.
Presiding over the matter, Dennis Mangosi said he was going to lean on prosecutors’ argument the former Mkoba MP will commit similar offences if he is freed.
Arrested many times for his fearless activism, Chibaya was recently fined US$50 for skipping court in another criminal case he is facing.
“The accused breached bail conditions, the accused will abscond if granted bail” ruled the court, adding, “on absconding of trial, the state has managed to prove its case. So, you are denied bail on that ground.”
According to the state, Chibaya was among a group of CCC activists who staged demonstrations at the court building in June demanding the release of 77 party activists who had been denied bail.
It is further alleged Chibaya then convened a meeting at the entrance of the court building where party politicians Agency Gumbo and Ostallos Gift Siziba were among the speakers.
During the meeting, Chibaya allegedly incited violence through saying, “Chi regime chinotya vanhu, chikaona vanhu chinobvunda, Havana kuhwina maelections, togona kufuma tavakutonga, Zimbabwe haisi yeZanu PF, Zimbabwe is not a Mnangagwa Dynasty zvekumbunyikidza vanhu zvinofanira kupera.”
Loosely translated, Chibaya allegedly talked down the Zanu PF led government headed by President Mnangagwa whom he accused of stealing elections and that it could find itself out of power the next day in place of the main opposition. He allegedly declared it was time the state stopped trampling on citizens’ freedoms.
It is further alleged Chibaya invited citizens to come in large numbers to demand the release of their colleagues.
“As a result of the incitement, some people at the meeting promised Chibaya to take the prisoners out by force by saying in vernacular ‘tichavatora Nechisimba, eheeee’”.
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