HARARE – Former Citizens Coalition for Change (CCC) legislator Amos Chibaya has finally been granted US$500 bail by the High Court.
In his ruling, Justice Gibson Mandaza ordered the former Mkoba MP to deposit US$500 with the Clerk of Court at the Harare Magistrates’ Court and to report once every fortnight at CID law and order division in Harare.
Chibaya was also ordered to continue residing at his usual residential address and not to interfere with witnesses.
The firebrand politician is accused of inciting fellow CCC activists into committing violence as he addressed them outside the Harare Magistrates’ Court where convicted party faction leader Jameson Timba and dozens more had been denied bail in June this year.
His party insists Chibaya should never have been arrested in the first place arguing he did not commit any offence at all.
“We won’t celebrate persecution and suppression of freedom of association. He shouldn’t have been arrested in the first place.
“Zimbabwe is not yet free under the current regime.
“We continue to demand the release of all political prisoners,” said CCC in a statement.
Arrested many times for his fearless activism, Chibaya was recently fined US$50 for skipping court in another criminal case he is facing.
According to the state, Chibaya was among a group of CCC activists who staged demonstrations at the court building in June demanding the release of 77 party activists who had been denied bail.
It is further alleged Chibaya then convened a meeting at the entrance of the court building where party politicians Agency Gumbo and Ostallos Gift Siziba were among the speakers.
During the meeting, Chibaya allegedly incited violence through saying, “Chi regime chinotya vanhu, chikaona vanhu chinobvunda, Havana kuhwina maelections, togona kufuma tavakutonga, Zimbabwe haisi yeZanu PF, Zimbabwe is not a Mnangagwa Dynasty zvekumbunyikidza vanhu zvinofanira kupera.”
Loosely translated, Chibaya allegedly talked down the Zanu PF led government headed by President Mnangagwa whom he accused of stealing elections and that it could find itself out of power the next day in place of the main opposition. He allegedly declared it was time the state stopped trampling on citizens’ freedoms.
It is further alleged Chibaya invited citizens to come in large numbers to demand the release of their colleagues.
“As a result of the incitement, some people at the meeting promised Chibaya to take the prisoners out by force by saying in vernacular ‘tichavatora Nechisimba, eheeee’”.
