EUNICE CHIPUDHLA CHINYANI
LEGISLATOR Joana Mamombe defiantly staged a mini demonstration as she walked out of Harare magistrates’ courts, waving a placard calling on the release of Zinasu president Takudzwa Ngadziore who is rotting in remand prison.
Already facing charges of leading an illegal demonstration, violating Covid 19 regulations and faking her own abduction, Mamombe difiently stood with Ngaziore in a moment that has gone virial.
Mamombe’s lawyer Jeremiah Bhamu although saying he was not aware of the sole demonstration, but said it was within her rights to express herself regardless of the charges she already faces.
“There is nothing that stops her from exercising her rights, the only issues that may arise is how far the state is willing to continue persecuting her,” Bhamu said.
Bhamu who has stood by Mamombe’s side, said his client was a victim of state persecution but this should not stop her from enjoying her rights.
Keep Reading
- Chamisa under fire over US$120K donation
- Mavhunga puts DeMbare into Chibuku quarterfinals
- Pension funds bet on Cabora Bassa oilfields
- Councils defy govt fire tender directive
“The government has been criminalizing any simple exercise of any person’s
Rights,” Bhamu said.
Joana Mamombe was in Chikurubi prison where she had been incarcerated for mental
examinations in the past two weeks, after claiming she was not fit to stand trial.
Her latest stunt has sent tongues wagging on whether Mamombe was feigning mental illness to avoid trial on the case of faking her abduction.
Bhamu said there was a wrong understanding of what is happening in the youthful leaders life.
“The narrative that people have is completely different from what obtained at court, when we appeared at court from the 22nd of September, we made it quite clearly that she suffered an occasional relapse on the 4th of September and she had been examined and received medication for it, we did not in any way say she could not stand trial,” the lawyer said.
Bhamu believes it was a completely needless process. Bhamu also feels its unfair that people are judging Mamombe based on what the prosecutor insisted on Joanna.
“Joanna is not the one who said I am not ready to stand trial, the prosecutor said we want to
see if she is ready,” the lawyer said.