HARARE – Lawyers representing rights activists, Robson Chere, Namatai Kwekweza, Samuel Gwenzi and Vusumuzi Moyo have accused the state of employing delaying tactics to cause further suffering to their clients.
This follows delays in bail hearing of the four as proceedings only started 20 minutes before the end of working hours on Monday.
Moyo engaged a new lawyer who asked for the matter to be heard in the afternoon on Monday as he wanted to acquaint himself with what has happened so far.
His bail application will now be heard on Wednesday.
Lawyers representing Chere, Kwekweza and Gwenzi were however ready to proceed in the morning.
Jeremiah Bamu, representing the activists, said they were not happy with how the state has been handling the case.
“You will note that whenever we start these court proceedings, the prosecutors will take endless hours rumbling over worthless submissions so as to delay time.
“They only start bail proceedings when we only have less than 30 minutes of time left which are a delaying tactic; they take this as a game.
“They simply want to prolong the suffering of the applicants,” he said.
Appearing for the state, Anesu Chirenje opposed bail and called the investigating officer who said the three should remain locked up.
“The accused persons have interests outside the country and we are afraid that they will flee from this country’s jurisdiction.
“Chere has other pending cases before the court,” he said of the activist who was badly tortured by suspected state security agents when the activists were arrested last week.
Chere is yet to receive any treatment for injuries sustained during the assault even after lawyers have put out a plea for him to receive urgent treatment.
“We have not yet verified the addresses of the accused persons,” Chirenje said, adding that the state requires at least three days to verify the addresses of the activists.
“You will note that Kwekweza was in Germany recently; so, she has interests outside Zimbabwe,” he said.
Hearing continues on Tuesday.
