MDC spokesperson Fadzai Mahere has been granted $10 000 bail by Harare magistrate Trynos Utahwashe after spending an entire week behind bars.
She is accused of publishing falsehoods in a case involving a woman whose child was erroneously reported to have been struck and killed by a baton wielding Harare police officer who was enforcing the country’s lockdown rules earlier during the month.
As part of her bail conditions, Utahwashe ordered that she must not interfere with the mother of the child at the centre of the controversy, Rebecca Musariri.
The magistrate also ruled that conditions of her previous bail conditions will apply in the politician’s present case.
Utahwashe said the state failed to prove that she is likely to re-offend and also that her offence was too serious to warrant her freedom.
He also said no grounds were given by the state to prove that she will abscond if granted bail.
“The state is overblowing the submission that she is likely to abscond… ” ruled the magistrate.
Added Utahwashe, “The accused did not give the police any headache during arrest there is no reason she will abscond now after having initially handed herself to the police.”