A Bulawayo court has granted bail to Advent Mathuthu, a nephew to investigative journalist and ZimLive editor Mduduzi Mathuthu.
Police raided Mathuthu’s house in Mahatshula North suburb on Thursday afternoon accusing the renowned journalist of keeping and manufacturing subversive materials and allegedly inciting Zimbabweans to engage in public violence on 31 July.
After failing to locate him, they took his sister Nomagugu into custody but later released her.
Also picked up were Mathuthu`s three nephews, Advent, Amandlenkosi Mathuthu and Tawanda Muchehiwa
Advent (25) appeared before Bulawayo magistrate Tinashe Tashaya facing a charge of inciting public violence.
He is being represented by Nqobani Sithole of Ncube Attorneys.
For the State, Leonard Chile submitted before the court that he be granted ZWL$1000 bail and report once a fortnight at the Bulawayo Central police station and that he continues to reside at the given address.
The magistrate however granted him free bail.
Chile told the court that Advent was allegedly found in possession of 76 fliers in his vehicle which had messages with the potential to incite public violence.
“On July 30 at Tile and Carpet Manleard investment, Belmont, Bulawayo. Mathuthu who was driving a BMW distributed fliers entitle: ZANU-PF MUST GO #JULY31 Demo” with the following words “What we hope to achieve, (i) Mnangagwa and his cabinet must resign. (ii)The military must not interfere with politics. (iii)National transitional authority government (iv)All captured institutions, ZEC, ZACC Judiciary must be rebuilt and we will leave when Zanu-PF is gone. Mathuthu was found in possession of 76 fliers in his vehicle,” said Chile.
Mduduzi Mathuthu’s other nephew Tawanda Muchehiwa is still missing.
Mathuthu is the second journalist to be sought by the police facing allegations of orchestrating the July 31 protests.
Another Harare based investigative journalist Hopewell Chin’ono was arrested for the same allegations together with opposition leader Jacob Ngarivhume and they have been languishing in remand prision following several failed attempts to attain bail.
