HARARE – Trade unionist Robson Chere and human rights activists Namatai Kwekweza and Samuel Gwenzi were granted bail by the High Court on Wednesday following their July 31 arrest accused of disorderly conduct.
Justice Benjamin Chikowero of the Harare High Court ordered the trio freed on US$15o bail each with conditions.
Their lawyer Charles Kwaramba of the Zimbabwe Lawyers for Human Rights said: “We appeared before Justice Chikowero appealing a decision of the magistrate denying our clients bail.
“Our appeal succeeded and Namatai, Samuel and Robson have been granted bail. They should be out before the end of the day.”
The three were ordered to report to the police once every month, reside at their given addresses and not to interfere with witnesses.
Kwekweza, 25, Chere, 40, and Gwenzi, 39, were minutes from taking off on a Fastjet flight to Victoria Falls when they were ordered off a plane at the Robert Gabriel Mugabe International Airport.
Police accused them of having taken part in an illegal protest outside the Harare Magistrates Court a month earlier, on June 27, in solidarity with over 70 Citizens Coalition for Change activists who were appearing in court.
Kwekweza’s lawyers say she was not in the country on June 27 and accuse authorities of arresting the activists as part of an operation driven by paranoia to thwart potential protests during the SADC summit which Zimbabwe hosted on August 17.
The post Kwekweza, Chere and Gwenzi granted bail by High Court after 35 days appeared first on Zimbabwe News Now.