HARARE – Embattled former local government minister Ignatius Chombo was freed on bail by a Harare magistrate on Friday after spending three days in remand prison.
Chombo is facing fraud and criminal abuse of office charges over acquisition and allocation of residential stands.
Prosecutors had opposed bail arguing the ex-minister would flee or tamper with witnesses if released.
But the magistrate Stanford Mambanje didn’t buy it, ruling “no evidence is before the court” to suggest Chombo was not suitable for release.
The magistrate tied the defendant’s release to his previous bail conditions that excused him from depositing any bail money with the clerk of court.
Chombo was remanded to March 12, 2020, and ordered to report once every fortnight to police and surrender additional title deeds.
His lawyer Munyaradzi Bwanya said: “The court considered the facts and found the High Court’s determination of previous bail application unassailable that Chombo is fit for bail.”
“The State failed to prove its case that Chombo has suddenly become a flight risk after he came of his own volition to the police station on Monday.”
