THE trial of the 14 opposition Citizens Coalition for Change (CCC) activists from Nyatsime suffered another false start yesterday when Harare magistrate Ethel Chichera postponed the matter to April 29 after the State indicated that it is still summoning the witnesses.
The group is being represented by human rights lawyer Tapiwa Muchineripi who put the State on notice that if it fails to summon its witnesses on the next date, he would apply for refusal for further remand.
The group was arrested for public violence at the funeral wake of murdered opposition activist Moreblessing Ali in 2022.
Prosecutor Kudzanai Madzimari told the court that on June 14, 2022, the activists in the company of three other accomplices, who are also on remand, conspired to engage in violence to avenge Ali’s murder.
It is alleged that they used their vehicles to transport people from different locations to Nyatsime where they perpetrated acts of public violence targeting property belonging to Zanu PF supporters.
It is further alleged that they went to Chibhanguza shopping centre where they torched a gazebo, damaged windows at 13 shops and four beerhalls before looting groceries and electrical gadgets.
