By 
HIGH Court Judge Justice Tawanda Chitapi on Tuesday 17 November 2020 deferred bail hearing appeal for the freelance journalist Hopewell Chin’ono to Wednesday 18 November 2020 citing that he wants more time to go through the bail request.
While becoming aware of the bail which was set for today, Justice Chitapi said he was busy with other different cases that were to be attended to thereby delaying the the bail request for Chin’ono to tomorrow at 0900hrs.
Chin’ono is being charged with defeating or obstructing the course of justice as defined in section 184 of the Criminal Law (Codification and Reform) Act.
The bail reapplication comes after Harare Magistrate Marehwanazvo Gofa dismissed Chin’ono’s previous bail application on 12 November 2020 alleging that the journalist had a propensity to commit offences and should remain in prison to stop him from contravening the country’s laws.
However, through his lawyers Beatrice Mtetwa, Gift Mtisi and Doug Coltart of Zimbabwe Lawyers for Human Rights, Chin’ono contends that he should be released from prison on similar conditions as those of his past case, where he was accused of causing people to revolt against the government after exposing corruption within the government.
The State alleges that Chin’ono created some communication lines with some unnamed National Prosecuting Authority (NPA) officers and got confidential prosecutorial deliberations which he allegedly published on Twitter on 25 October to the effect that Rushwaya was going to be granted bail without any opposition by NPA officials.
The State charges that Chin’ono made some communications lines with some anonymous National Prosecuting Authority (NPA) officials and got private prosecutorial thoughts which he supposedly posted on Twitter on 25 October to the effect that Rushwaya would have been granted bail with no resistance by NPA authorities.
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