A Harare magistrate on Friday remanded until October the cases of 33 activists of the Movement for Democratic Change faction of Morgan Tsvangiray who stand accused of carrying out firebombing attacks and plotting other violence against the state.
The defendants were told prosecutors needed more time to gather evidence against them – this after a high court judge recently slammed police for fabricating witnesses and other evidence to support the cases against the opposition members.
The charges against the activists, who include Glen View lawmaker Paul Madzore and Tsvangirai faction Deputy Organizing Secretary Morgan Komichi, include malicious damage to property, recruiting and training for sabotage, and banditry.
Following their arrests in March their bail applications were postponed 50 times. The last two of the 33 were freed on bail this week after four months in jail.
Defense attorney Alec Muchadehama told reporter Patience Rusere of VOA's Studio 7 for Zimbabwe that despite the high court bail decision, which suggested the cases had been trumped up, his clients must nonetheless prove their innocence in a trial.