Prison officials deny release of Jeffrey Moyo despite granted bail

Prison officials at Greys Remand in Bulawayo were report to have declined to release of New York Times correspondent, Jeffrey Moyo, despite him being granted bail yesterday

According to the reports the prison officials claimed the clerk of court’s papers were different from those on Moyo’s warrant of liberty.

Moyo was arrested last month for allegedly misrepresenting the media accreditation of his two colleagues, South African-based Joao Silva and Christina Goldbaum with the Zimbabwe Media Commission (ZMC).

He was denied bail by a Bulawayo magistrate who ruled he was facing serious state security charges.

However, his lawyers applied for bail at the High Court, which was granted Tuesday.

One of the lawyers, Amanda Ndlovu, armed with the release papers went to Greys Remand Prison seeking Moyo’s release Tuesday afternoon.

However, prison officials said they could not grant his freedom as papers from the clerk of court and his warrant of liberty were different.

Ndlovu insisted on seeing the error, but the correctional services officers told her to rectify the error first with the clerk of court.

As a result, Moyo will spend another night in remand prison despite being granted bail.

His wife and other relatives who had travelled from Harare to welcome him on his release, were by Tuesday evening stranded outside the Greys Remand Prison gates.