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| Martin Mureri expressed disappointment that the court had consented to the State’s request that the case be postponed by a further full month |
…MDC Alliance organising
secretary remanded for further one month
Mark Chavhunduka
MDC Alliance national youth
organiser and Masvingo Urban Ward 4 Councillor Godfrey Kurauone will spend another
full month in remand prison after the State yesterday, August 25, argued in
court that it needed 30 days to seek prosecutorial authority from the
Prosecutor General’s office.
Kurauone will therefore be back in
court on September 24 after Magistrate Patience Madondo sided with the State
for postponement of the case.
Kurauone, who was arrested on July 31 and has two other separate charges pending, faces charges of undermining
the authority of President Emmerson Mnangagwa.
Human Rights lawyer Martin Mureri
said he was very disappointed by the decision as he had expected full trial
since the State had a very long time to put its house in order.
Kurauone arrived for the court proceedings
under heavy guard and in leg irons.
The court room was filled with
supporters and the case had to be delayed while the police made concerted
efforts to remove everyone from the gallery ostensibly on the basis on maintinaing social distancing.
Kurauone’s case has put Zimbabwe
under the spotlight with the US Senate Foreign Relations Committee castigating
the President Mnangagwa’s government for human rights violations.
“The credibility of Zimbabwe’s
judiciary was eroded more this week after bias shown by courts against
citizens- denying bail and choice of counsel. All political prisoners including
Hopewell Chin’ono and Godfrey Kurauone deserve impartial justice and due
process,” noted the Committee in a recent statement.
Former US secretary of state
Hillary Clinton also tweeted urging government to release Kurauone and other
political prisoners whom she said represented Zimbabwe’s future.
