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Alert

Jestina Mukoko granted bail; Shadreck Manyere rearrested, denied bail

(MISA/IFEX) - On 6 May 2009, former news reader with the Zimbabwe Broadcasting Corporation (ZBC) and director of the Zimbabwe Peace Project Jestina Mukoko was granted bail by Harare Magistrate, Catherine Chimanda after the defence reached a mutual agreement with the Attorney General's office to that effect.

Appearing on behalf of the State, Chris Mutangadura, told the court that there had been communication between the defence counsel and the attorney general, and the latter had consented to the bail of all the accused persons with the exception of freelance photojournalist Shadreck Manyere, and Movement for Democratic Change (MDC) activists Gandhi Mudzingwa and Kisimusi Dhlamini.

The State argued that Manyere, Mudzingwa, and Dhlamini could not be granted bail since they had a pending application lodged with the High Court after their re-arrest. The State also made an application for the warrant of liberation in respect of the accused persons and these were duly granted by the magistrate.

In her ruling the magistrate noted that Mukoko and the other accused persons would be recommitted to bail with the same conditions that had previously been in place.