The High Court has again said no to bail for Thulani Munetsi, who has spent two years locked up waiting for trial. Munetsi faces charges of joining five other men in four armed robberies around Harare. The court heard claims that he waved guns, made threats, and hurt people to steal money, stuff, and personal items. Judge Esther Muremba decided Munetsi couldn't have bail because he lied and had no real home address.
Judge Muremba talked about how truth makes justice work. She caught Munetsi lying about where he lives, which made her doubt everything else he said. Police checked and found out his address didn't exist. Even his family members told the court he works as a small-time miner who moves from place to place. The court worried he would run away if released because he had no fixed place to stay.
The judge didn't let Munetsi go free, but she also blasted the government for keeping him jailed for two years without a trial. She called this a clear violation of his basic rights, including the right to be presumed innocent until proven guilty. Muremba stated that delayed justice equals denied justice. She pointed out major problems with the case, including lost paperwork and witness stories that don't match up.
Munetsi spoke for himself in court, arguing that the long delay proves the government has nothing solid against him. He insisted he had nothing to do with the robberies. He also mentioned that some of his friends accused in the same case had already walked free on bail. He asked why the court treated him differently. The government claimed Munetsi might escape if released, saying he hid after his friends got caught.
Another problem came up about how the police caught Munetsi. First, officials said they nabbed him during a shootout at a hideout in Melfort. Later, police detectives told a different story - they lured him with a phone call to Belvedere in Harare. Despite seeing problems with the evidence and the long jail time without trial, the judge decided that letting Munetsi out would put people at risk and damage trust in the courts.
Judge Muremba talked about how truth makes justice work. She caught Munetsi lying about where he lives, which made her doubt everything else he said. Police checked and found out his address didn't exist. Even his family members told the court he works as a small-time miner who moves from place to place. The court worried he would run away if released because he had no fixed place to stay.
The judge didn't let Munetsi go free, but she also blasted the government for keeping him jailed for two years without a trial. She called this a clear violation of his basic rights, including the right to be presumed innocent until proven guilty. Muremba stated that delayed justice equals denied justice. She pointed out major problems with the case, including lost paperwork and witness stories that don't match up.
Munetsi spoke for himself in court, arguing that the long delay proves the government has nothing solid against him. He insisted he had nothing to do with the robberies. He also mentioned that some of his friends accused in the same case had already walked free on bail. He asked why the court treated him differently. The government claimed Munetsi might escape if released, saying he hid after his friends got caught.
Another problem came up about how the police caught Munetsi. First, officials said they nabbed him during a shootout at a hideout in Melfort. Later, police detectives told a different story - they lured him with a phone call to Belvedere in Harare. Despite seeing problems with the evidence and the long jail time without trial, the judge decided that letting Munetsi out would put people at risk and damage trust in the courts.
