Five Mirirai Jehovha Apostolic Church members who were jailed together with 29 other congregates for criminal nuisance have been granted bail.
Fortune Chapeyama, Noah Dabvu, Chaora Rovesai, Givemore Bandera and Pride Charedzera who were represented by Makiya and Partners Legal Practitioners were released on ZWL30 000 bail each after almost two months in remand.
As part of their bail conditions, they are to reside at their given address and report at their nearest police station once every Friday between 6:00 am and 6:00 pm.
State prosecutors allege that on the 9th of July 2022 along Robert Mugabe Way towards Simon Muzenda Street in Harare, “the church members unlawfully acted in a manner which was likely to create a nuisance by walking on the roads and pavements whilst singing Emmanuel Tisunungureiwo tanzwa nenhamo loosely translated to “Emmanuel save us from bondage.” thereby obstructing the free passage and movement of people and motor vehicles.”
They were led by their church bishop Kanyenzura Parere, who is the leader of Zimbabwe Transformative Party (ZTP), an opposition political party. Parere has been detained at Harare Central Remand Prison since he was arrested by ZRP officers on 9 July 2022.
Parere was charged for contravening section 7(1)(5) of the Maintenance of Peace and Order (MOPO) Act after he allegedly convened a gathering and led a procession of his church members without notifying the regulating authority, which is ZRP.
His trial is scheduled to commence on 7 September 2022 before Harare Magistrate Tafadzwa Miti, while his congregants will appear in court on 26 September 2022.
