Citizens Coalition for Change (CCC) vice-presidents Tendai Biti and Lynnette Karenyi-Kore’s latest bid for freedom at the Harare Magistrates Court has failed.
On Tuesday, Biti and Karenyi-Kore were further remanded by Harare magistrate Vongai Muchuchuti-Guwuriro in a case where they face a charge of violating COVID-19 regulations.
The duo is being charged alongside deputy secretary-general David Chimhini, secretary for mobilisation and women affairs Vongai Tome, deputy secretary for corporate affairs Lovemore Chinoputsa and Gladys Hlatywayo, who is the secretary for international affairs.
The CCC officials, through their lawyer Alec Muchadehama, filed an application for exception to the charges but Muchuchuti-Guwuriro dismissed it saying their application for review was not yet ready.
Allegations are that on 5 June 2020, the Zimbabwe Republic Police (ZRP) received a tip-off that the then MDC Alliance leaders were gathered outside Morgan Richard Tsvangirai House in Harare.
The gathering was allegedly in violation of Statutory Instrument 83 of 2020, which prohibited gatherings of more than 50 people.
The State further alleged that they were planning to stage an unsanctioned demonstration.
The police intervened and dispersed a gathering of opposition supporters at the corner of Nelson Mandela Avenue and Angwa Street, leading to the arrest of the accused.