More jail time for former ZANU-PF Youth Leader

Former ZANU PF youth leader Jim Kunaka remains in prison after Justice Tawanda Chitapi postponed ruling on his bail application.

Justice Chitapi advised his lawyer Munyaradzi Bwanya from the Zimbabwe Lawyer for Human Rights that his ruling on his bail appeal will be handed down on Thursday.

He said this is because he hadn’t finished writing the judgment.

Meanwhile, when the case previously came up in court, Justice Chitapi accused the State of lacking commitment.

At the time, the State, led by Richard Chikosha, requested time to ascertain whether Kunaka, who is facing a charge of violating COVID-19 regulations, had paid a fine for a warrant of arrest which was issued against him on another matter pending before the courts.

The State opposed bail on the basis that he was likely to abscond trial since he had been previously issued with a warrant of arrest for failing to attend trial on a case of attempting to subvert a constitutionally elected government.

But Kunaka’s lawyer, told the court that his client did not wilfully abscond trial on the said day, but he was suffering from COVID-19, which claimed his son’s life.

It is alleged that Kunaka, in July last year, incited more than 50 people to gather at Africa Unity Square without police clearance during a lockdown.

Prosecutors also alleged that Kunaka posted video messages on social media platforms between March 1, 2020 and July 30, 2020 inciting people across the country to participate in the July 31, 2020 demonstrations.

At one time, Kunaka was denied bail by magistrate Judith Taruvinga. He has been in detention since his arrest on December 24, 2020.

-Zwnews