Chitungwiza deputy mayor and another man were on Monday arrested in a midnight raid by police on charges of allegedly inciting public violence which led to the burning of a local police station during last month’s Zimbabwe Congress of Trade Unions-organised stayaway.
Councillor Jabulani Mutunzi (MDC Alliance) and Richard Mutswiri appeared at the Chitungwiza Magistrates’ Courts yesterday for initial remand, where they applied for bail through their lawyer Tinomuda Shoko.
“The State knows where the accused persons reside, it is quite surprising that the police arrested them at night considering that the first accused is Chitungwiza’s deputy mayor whose place of residence is known,” the lawyer said.
Shoko said about 30 armed police officers ambushed Mutunzi, blindfolded him with a black cloth laced with a whitish powder that caused him some dizziness.
The State, represented by Tatenda Mukatera, opposed bail on the grounds that the two were a flight risk as there was overwhelming evidence against them that included a video. Magistrate Nyasha Vhitorini will today rule on their bail application.
It is the State case that on January 14, Mutunzi and others still at large, gathered at C Junction in Unit L and he allegedly incited them by shouting: “Let’s go and burn the police station.”
An informant, Tawanda Hongoro who was passing by later alerted the police, leading to the pair’s arrest.
Source: Mbaretimescom
