Opposition politician Jacob Ngarivhume was removed from remand last week after the State failed to present witnesses in a case where he was facing charges of attending an unlawful gathering and disorderly conduct.
The matter was heard by Harare magistrate Winfilda Tiyatara. The State withdrew the charges for now, after key witnesses failed to appear in court. Prosecutors indicated that the case will proceed by way of summons.
Ngarivhume was being charged alongside his alleged accomplice, Kelvin Gonde. The two were represented by lawyer Innocent Nderere.
The charges stem from an alleged illegal gathering involving 79 Citizens Coalition for Change (CCC) activists, in which Ngarivhume is said to have participated.
On June 16, 2024, police allegedly received a tip-off that the accused and 77 other CCC activists were unlawfully gathered at the home of party faction leader Jameson Timba in Avondale, Harare.
The group is accused of throwing stones at police, injuring some officers and damaging a police Mahindra vehicle. Officers reportedly responded with tear gas and arrested the activists.
Timba was later handed a suspended two-year prison sentence, while the others received lesser suspended terms after spending five months in custody.
Although the gathering was said to commemorate the Day of the African Child, authorities claimed it was intended to incite public violence ahead of an upcoming Southern African Development Community (SADC) Summit.
More: NewsDay
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