HARARE magistrate Rufaro Panavanhu yesterday ordered the police to return electronic gadgets seized from human rights activists apprehended at the Robert Gabriel Mugabe International Airport while on their way to a meeting in Victoria Falls.
Namatai Kwekweza, Robson Chere and Samuel Gwenzi were hauled off the plane by suspected State security agents before they were dragged to court on allegations of protesting outside the Harare Magistrates Court against the arrest and continued detention of dozens of opposition Citizens Coalition for Change activists.
In her ruling, Panavanhu said the trio could approach the investigating officer who arrested them at the station and collect their gadgets which include cellphones since the devices might not be used during the trial.
Defence lawyer Tinashe Chinopfukutwa had approached the courts indicating that he would file an application for exemption on the charges on Friday this week.
The activists, who were yanked off a Victoria Falls-bound flight, were repeatedly denied bail but were later released at High Court.
The State had argued that the activists were likely to abscond, commit other offences or cause public despondency.
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The trio claimed that they were held incommunicado and tortured for several hours following their dramatic arrest at the airport.
The matter was remanded to December 9 for ruling on the application for exemption.