HARARE – The MDC Alliance’s Harare West MP Joana Mamombe and activist Cecilia Chimbiri were denied bail on Thursday following their latest arrest accused of staging an illegal demonstration in breach of Covid-19 regulations banning gatherings.
Magistrate Vongai Muchuchuti ruled the two activists were likely to re-offend after the court was told that they are on bail in two pending criminal trials.
The two activists were arrested after holding a news conference on the steps of the Harare Magistrates Court denouncing the arrest of pro-democracy campaigner Makomborero Haruzivishe.
Rights lawyers say Mamombe and Chimbiri did not hold a demonstration but spoke to reporters who are essential services workers not subject to movement restrictions.
They also feel they are being targeted by the state because other activists who attended the same press conference – lawyer Professor Lovemore Madhuku and MDC youth activist Netsai Marova – were not arrested.
Mamombe and Chimbiri were last month arrested for allegedly insulting police officers.
They also have another pending criminal case in which they are accused of publishing falsehoods prejudicial to the state. They were arrested after going missing for two days in May, allegedly abducted and tortured by state security agents. Police said they faked their abduction, which they deny.
Mamombe and Chimbiri will be back in court on March 23.
