CCC Warns Government Against "Provoking" Peaceful Protesters
The former Member of Parliament for the Pelandaba-Tshabalala constituency Gift “Ostallos” Siziba (CCC) accused the government of deliberately provoking confrontation by arresting peaceful protesters.
This comes after 79 people linked to the Citizens Coalition for Change faction led by Jameson Timba were arrested over a week ago and charged with participating in a gathering with the intent to promote violence, breaches of peace or bigotry as well as disorderly conduct.
They were arrested on Sunday, 16 June, at Timba’s house in Harare while commemorating the Day of the African Child.
The court granted US$100 bail to one of the accused individuals, Ndapuwa Shaun Timba, who is the son of former CCC senator Jameson Timba.
Shaun was caught in the dragnet arrest after he went to deliver a Father’s Day gift.
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One of the accused persons was a 17-year-old minor, who the court remanded into the custody of their guardian.
Another accused individual showed signs of potential mental health challenges. In accordance with Section 26 of the Mental Health Act, the court ordered this person to remain in custody pending an examination by two doctors to assess their mental capacity.
The presiding magistrate, Ruth Moyo was expected to hand down her ruling on the bail application by the 76 remaining activists on Tuesday but failed to do so following the state’s failure to submit their submissions on time.
She then postponed the matter to Thursday, 27 June, for a bail ruling.
Addressing reporters at the Harare Magistrates Court on Tuesday after the CCC activists’ bail ruling application was postponed, Siziba, who was introduced as the party spokesperson, said:
We stand in solidarity with our arrested citizens. ZANU PF and all the headmasters of chaos, do not provoke citizens because if we decide to invoke section 59 of the Zimbabwean Constitution we will use the streets as a point of entry to register our displeasure.
We are a peaceful people but don’t provoke us, don’t provoke the citizens of Zimbabwe.
Colleagues and family members of the CCC activists who spoke to NewZimbabwe.com said it was disheartening that criminals were walking scot-free while their relatives were rotting in jail.
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