Former Binga North Citizens Coalition for Change (CCC) Member of Parliament, Prince Dubeko-Sibanda, has been granted US$300 bail by the High Court.
This follows a successful appeal filed through his lawyer, Alec Muchadehama.
Dubeko-Sibanda was arrested at Beitbridge Border Post on August 16, accused of inciting violence by urging the public to stage protests during the recently concluded SADC Summit.
He was denied bail by the lower court, which ruled that he was a flight risk.
However, High Court Judge Benjamin Chikowero ruled otherwise, stating that the lower court had made a mistake in denying him bail.
“We appealed to the High Court, and the court agreed with us that Sibanda is not a flight risk and was not caught trying to abscond to South Africa as alleged. So, he has been granted bail in the sum of US$300,” his lawyer, Alec Muchadehama, said after the ruling.
The State alleges that, due to Sibanda’s posts on social media, there were protests along Highglen Road in Harare, where people burned tyres and barricaded the road on August 16, 2024.
The State’s case is that between August 1 and August 16, 2024, the accused posted on CCC WhatsApp groups, as well as on his Twitter and X handles, inciting members of the political party to engage in violent activities by barricading roads and burning shops and tyres.
Chirenje said, “The accused posted that unless the SADC creates a platform where heads of state will engage Zimbabweans on the SEOM report and other issues, we will create a platform to meet with them in the streets of Harare.
“No intimidation will stop us. Let’s shut down Harare in August. Let’s barricade the streets in Harare.
“Let’s burn tyres and use old cars.”
Chirenje said some of the messages were captured as screenshots and would be used as evidence against Sibanda.
It is alleged that, as a result of the incitement, Highglen Road was barricaded, and tyres were burned on the road at Mukonono River Bridge, Marimba, thereby endangering the free movement of people and traffic using that road on August 16, 2024, at around 04:30 hours.
On August 17, 2024, a team of detectives from CID Beitbridge saw him at Beitbridge Border Post and arrested him.
