No joy for Harare West MP Mamombe …..as her application is dismissed

A Harare magistrate has on Tuesday dismissed the application for refusal of further remand submitted by the MDC Alliance Harare West MP Joana Mamombe on the basis   of the gravity and nature of the charges the accused was answering to.

Mamombe is facing charges of subverting a constitutionally elected government.

 Mamombe appeared before magistrate Barbra Mateko.

Mamombe  was represented by Zimbabwe Human Rights lawyers, Jeremiah Bhamu and Obey Shava.

“There is no progress in the case because last time when the accused appeared in court the State indicated that it needed some time to take the video from the cyber lab for further verification but up until now the State failed to produce a single report from the cyber lab’’.

“Is the State  doubting the adequacy of the evidence or it now wants the cyber lab to manufacture new evidence,” submitted Mamombe’s defence counsel.

Magistrate Mateko dismissed the application as she indicated that there is progress in the case and also given to the nature of the offence the application cannot  be granted.

“The matter has been on remand for months and the docket was sent for perusal and there is clear progress on the case.

“These are serious allegations and there is no delay for the interest of justice, there is progress on the case and application is hereby dismissed,” said Mateko.

The State alleges that  on January 14 Mamombe  advocated, suggested or urged people to engage in civil disobedience and called for (sabotaging of) government’s essential services intending to overthrow the government.

 Mateko remanded the matter to July 27.