High Court Halts Trial Proceedings In Chimbiri, Mamombe Abduction Case
The High Court has granted an application to halt the trial of proceedings in a case where Citizens Coalition for Change (CCC) activists Joana Mamombe and Cecilia Chimbiri are being accused of allegedly filing false abduction reports.
Mamombe and Chimbiri, who are being represented by Alec Muchadehama and Jeremiah Bhamu had asked the higher court to stop the proceedings of the lower court to enable it to review magistrate Faith Mushure’s ruling for discharge which she dismissed.
High Court judge Justice Munangati-Manongwa granted the application pending review. The judge ruled:
It is ordered that the trial proceedings against the applicants in the magistrates court be, and is hereby stayed pending the determination of the application for review in the High Court.
The applicants shall file a complete transcript of the proceedings not later than October 7. The respondents to file opposition papers by October 21, the applicants shall file answering affidavit on October 28, heads of arguments by applicants on November 4 and respondents by November 17. The application for review shall be heard on November 17 at 10 am.
Mamombe, Chimbiri and their colleague, Netsai Marova claim that they were arrested during a flash food protest in Warren Park on the 13th of May in 2020. Police initially issued a statement confirming the arrest but later retracted the statement.
The trio say they were then kidnapped from police custody by suspected state security agents who allegedly physically and sexually assaulted them the whole night before dumping them in Bindura, some 86 km from Harare.
