Own Correspondent

The three MDC Alliance youth leaders including legislator Joana Mamombe who made the headlines alleging being abducted after staging a demo in Harare’s Warren park suburb will spend the weekend behind bars pending bail ruling on Monday.

The trio was arrested on allegations of publishing false statements.

Joana Mamombe, Cecilia Chimbiri and Netsai Marova were remanded in custody to the 15th of this month pending bail ruling when they appeared in court this Friday facing charges of Publishing or communicating allegedly false statements and an alternative charge of defeating or obstructing the course of justice.

The state is opposing bail in a case where the three allegedly staged an abduction and published false statements.

The state represented by Charles Muchemwa told the court that the trio are a flight risk and are facing a serious charge that attracted attention and statements were made regarding the alleged abduction to the whole world.

Representing the trio Jeremiah Bhamu queried the manner in which they were arrested arguing that the three should be granted bail.

On 13th of May the trio and other MDC-Alliance youths gathered in Warren Park where they staged a demonstration and on the same date the trio later communicated with their lawyers, family members and friends that they had been arrested by police and held at ZRP Harare Central.

Their legal practitioner reported to the CID law and order inquiring on the arrest of the three only to find out after verifications that the accused had not been arrested.

Two days later, their legal representative contacted the police informing them that the accused persons were found at Muchapondwa Business Centre in Bindura.
The police and the legal representatives went to the scene and collected the accused persons before taking them for medical examinations at a hospital in Waterfalls.

The trio were interviewed and made statements that they had been abducted by members of the police.