Activists denied bail

Citizens Coalition for Change interim leader Jameson Timba and 64 of his supporters will remain in jail after Harare Magistrate Collet Ncube denied them bail. The group has tried to secure bail three times before, including once at the High Court. New Zimbabwe reports that they also had their application for discharge dismissed at the close of the state's case on the charge of unlawful participation in a gathering. They had filed a fresh bail application stating that circumstances had changed. ‘The basis of the application was that there is now a lapse of considerable time since the accused persons were brought behind bars and bearing in mind that we have at least 65 witnesses going to the defence case it will take us several months to complete,’ said their lawyer Webster Jiti. However, they were all acquitted on the charge of disorderly conduct. Timba and supporters are accused of holding an unsanctioned meeting at his residence in Avondale on 16 June. The state alleges that they attacked officers who had come to check on what was happening at the house.

Full New Zimbabwe report