By Costa Nkomo
The High Court of Zimbabwe, led by Justice Benjamin Chikowero, has granted bail to Samuel Gwenzi, Namatai Kwekweza, and Robson Chere, ending their 35-day pre-trial detention.
As part of their bail conditions, the activists must deposit the equivalent of US$150 in Zimbabwean currency, report to the authorities on the last Friday of every month, refrain from interfering with state witnesses and reside at the addresses they provided to the court.
Justice Chikowero ruled that the reasons given by Magistrate Ruth Moyo for denying bail were not compelling enough to justify their continued detention.
The activists were represented by Zimbabwe Lawyers for Human Rights (ZLHR) attorneys Paidamoyo Saurombe, Tinashe Chinopfukutwa, and Kelvin Kabaya. Vusimuzi Moyo, who was arrested alongside the trio, requested that his case be separated from theirs.
The activists were forcibly removed from a plane en route to Victoria Falls by suspected state agents and reportedly tortured before being handed over to Harare Central Police. They sustained severe injuries, with medical professionals warning that Chere risks permanent kidney damage if he delays treatment.
These activists are among many who were arrested in the lead-up to the 44th Southern African Development Community (SADC) Summit, during which President Mnangagwa assumed the chairmanship of the regional bloc.
