HARARE provincial magistrate Ruth Moyo yesterday dismissed opposition party Transform Zimbabwe leader Jacob Ngarivhume’s application challenging his placement on remand.
Moyo dismissed the application saying Ngarivhume has to answer to the charges he is facing and should let the investigations continue.
Ngarivhume (46), who is being jointly charged with Kelvin Gonde (45) on two counts of participating in an unlawful gathering and disorderly conduct, were remanded in custody to August 8 for bail application.
He is accused of being part of a gathering that included 79 Citizens Coalition for Change (CCC) activists arrested in June this year.
Prosecutor Ephraim Zinyandu told the court that on June 16 this year, police received information that the two, along with CCC interim leader Jameson Timba and 78 other party activists gathered unlawfully at Timba’s house in Avondale, Harare.
Zinyandu said police went to Timba’s house and on arrival, they were confronted by a riotous crowd.
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The activists allegedly hurled stones at the police and some officers were injured while a police Mahindra vehicle was damaged.
He said the activists were subdued after the police fired tear smoke, leading to their arrest.
In a related matter, CCC activist Last Chinodya (45) yesterday appeared before Harare magistrate Vongai Guwuriro facing a charge of disorderly conduct.
Prosecutor Thomas Chanakira alleged that on June 27 this year at Harare Magistrate Courts, Chinodya together with his accomplices who are already on remand allegedly gathered at the court’s entrance chanting party slogans.
The court heard that the accused persons were carrying placards while using abusive language. The matter was deferred to today for continuation of bail application.