The High Court in Masvingo will on Monday 6 July 2020 preside over the
hearing and determination of an application seeking the release on
bail from prison of Ephraim Muthombeni, the Director of Masvingo
Centre for Research Advocacy and Community Development (MACRAD), who was committed to prison after he was arrested last week and charged
with undermining authority of or insulting President Emmerson
Mnangagwa.

The 28 year-old Muthombeni was denied bail on Monday 29 June 2020 by
Masvingo Magistrate Mbonisi Ndlovu, who ruled that the MACRAD leader
is a flight risk and could escape from standing trial.

Muthombeni, who is represented by Martin Mureri of Zimbabwe Lawyers
for Human Rights (ZLHR) had applied for his release on bail after he
was arrested by Zimbabwe Republic Police (ZRP) members on Sunday 28
June 2020 and charged with undermining authority of or insulting
President Mnangagwa as defined in section 33(2)(a)(i) of the Criminal
Law (Codification and Reform) Act.

Prosecutors alleged that Muthombeni faulted President Mnangagwa during
an address to some commuters, who were queuing and waiting to board a
state-owned Zimbabwe United Passenger Company bus, for presiding over
Zimbabwe’s agonising economic crisis and demanding that the ZANU PF
party leader resigns.

Muthombeni is alleged to have uttered the words; “Murikuona kumira
kwamakaita pa queue imhosva ya President E.D Mnangagwa arikukwidza maprices e fuel achiba mari nevana vake. E.D must go,” which if loosely
translated means; “You are suffering as a result of President
Mnangagwa’s poor leadership and corruption committed by himself and
his children and his failure to stem fuel price hikes and he should
resign.”

-ZLHR