Munyaradzi Doma
Harare magistrate Rumbidzai Mugwagwa has dismissed MDC legislator for Harare West Joanah Mamombe’s application for refusal of further remand.
Mamombe who is facing allegations of subverting a constitutional government argued that there had been no progress in her case since she first appeared in court on March 5 last year.
Dismissing the application, Mugwagwa said Mamombe was facing a complex matter and it would be premature to refuse remand at this stage.
“The charge accused is facing is a serious one, she has been on remand for a year but it will be premature to say that the delay is inordinate, so application for postponement is granted,” she said.
Mamombe will be back in court on March 18.
Defence counsel Jeremiah Bamu then revealed that they were putting the State on notice that on the next remand date, if his client is not given a trial date, they will lodge another application to refuse further remand.
Mamombe had argued that the reasons which the State was giving in seeking a postponement were “unjustified and unreasonable”.
“The same reason has been regurgitated over a long period of time, the reason is invalid to say that the Prosecutor General is still considering indicting the accused person.
“What comes out clearly is that my colleague doesn’t know and the PG doesn’t know. That level of uncertainty must be sufficient ground to refuse remand. They don’t know when they will prosecute the accused,” Bamu argued.
Prosecutor Lancelot Mutsokoti, however, argued that postponement of the matter was justified and reasonable adding the State had made progress to indict Mamombe.
Allegations are that on January 14 last year, Mamombe addressed a press conference where she urged people to overthrow the government.
