HARARE mayor Councillor Jacob Mafume ending the Ward 17 councillor’s two-week jail nightmare.has been granted $30 000 bail by High Court judge Justice Benjamin Chikowero ending the Ward 17 councillor’s two-week jail nightmare.
Last week magistrate Bianca Makwande denied him bail on the basis that he was likely to interfere with witnesses.
Mafume was arrested on 25 November 2020 on allegations of illegally parcelling out residential stands to his sister and secretary at his law firm Rutendo Muvuti without following due process.
As part of his bail conditions, Mafume was ordered not to interfere with witnesses, submit his passport with the Clerk of Court and to continue residing at his given address until the matter is finalised.
In a statement on its social media channels soon after Mafume was granted bail, the MDC Alliance (MDC-A) demanded an end to what it called the weaponisation of the law against its members. The statement read:
#BREAKING Mayor @JMafume has been granted bail on appeal by the High Court. We reiterate that his detention & the refusal of bail in the first place were unconstitutional & a clear act of persecution. This weaponization of the law against MDC Alliance members must end.
