The Harare Magistrates Court has charged MDC-Alliance supporters arrested last week for allegedly being in possession of catapults and stones while demanding the release of the opposition party’s national vice chairperson Job Sikhala at the courts.

Terrence Manjengwa, Blessed Changara and Barnabas Gura were remanded in custody when they appeared before Harare magistrate Mrs Barbra Mateko charged with possession of offensive weapons and contravening the Covid-19 national lockdown regulations.

Prosecutor Mr Lancelot Mutsokota opposed bail saying the three had other pending cases before the courts and were likely to commit other offences if they are freed.

He said Manjengwa has pending cases at Chitungwiza magistrate’s court and at Harare magistrates, court, which makes him an unsuitable candidate for bail.

“Chances are high that the accused persons can commit similar offences as Job Sikhala, whom they were in solidarity with seeking his freedom before the courts, is still held in custody and as such if granted bail they are likely to commit similar offences,” said Mr Mutsokoti.

The three were arrested on Thursday at around 2pm when they teamed up with other MDC-A members and gathered at Harare magistrate’s court where Sikhala was appearing for his bail hearing on charges of inciting public violence by urging people to participate during the flopped July 31 planned protests.

Police had deployed the district reaction group at the courts to maintain law and order. The group heard the three were at the courts in an unregistered commuter omnibus and in possession of weapons.

Police approached the three and allegedly found them with catapults, stones, bolts and nuts and three empty beer bottles.

Upon their apprehension, the police are said to have discovered that they had no exemption letters that allowed them to travel during the lockdown.