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Ngarivhume was ordered to pay Zimbabwean $ 50,000 ($ 602), surrender his passport and report to the police three times a week.
HARARE – Zimbabwean opposition politician Jacob Ngarivhume was released on bail on Wednesday in his fourth attempt since he was arrested on July 20 for calling protests against corruption and the country’s economic crisis.
High Court Judge Siyabona Musithu granted his appeal against a lower court ruling that had denied him bail and said “the magistrate was wrong.”
He was ordered to pay 50,000 Zimbabwean dollars ($ 602), surrender his passport and report to the police three times a week.
Ngarivhume, the leader of Transform Zimbabwe, has been accused of inciting public violence.
He was arrested along with investigative journalist Hopewell Chin’ono, who remains in prison on similar charges.
Chin’ono, who tweeted his support for the protests, is also expecting a verdict on a bail request on Wednesday.
The protests were scheduled for July 31, the second anniversary of the general election won by President Emmerson Mnangagwa amid accusations of fraud.
Later, the demonstrations were banned for reasons of restrictions on the coronavirus.
Ngarivhume and Chin’ono are among a series of government critics and opposition activists arrested in recent months for expressing concern about the country’s growing problems.
President Cyril Ramaphosa said on Monday that he would send a second group of envoys to Zimbabwe in “days” in a new attempt to resolve the crisis.
Last month, a first delegation failed to meet with opposition parties and was widely criticized for failing to confront President Emmerson Mnangagwa on the crackdown on dissent.
Western diplomats in Harare last week warned Zimbabwe against using the coronavirus pandemic to crush dissent.
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