BY NOKUTHABA DLAMINI
In a dramatic turn of events, lawyers for opposition leader Jameson Timba and 76 other Citizens Coalition for Change (CCC) members argued for their discharge in court today, citing a weak case presented by the state prosecutor.
The group, arrested on June 16 for allegedly gathering with intent to promote public violence and disorderly conduct, has been languishing in remand prison awaiting trial. But their legal team believes the state has failed to prove its case beyond reasonable doubt, a crucial requirement in criminal law.
“The application seeks to stop the start of defence proceedings to bolster the weak prosecutor’s case,” said Zimbabwe Lawyers for Human Rights in an update.
The magistrate is expected to hand down a ruling on August 29 at 1425 hours, leaving Timba and his co-accused anxiously waiting for their fate to be decided.
Human rights groups have condemned the arrests as politically motivated and called for the immediate and unconditional release of all 76 CCC members.