Magistrate removes bail conditions for Biti and Ncube

The trial of former Finance Minister Tendai Biti and former Beitbridge mayor Morgan Ncube has been postponed to 6 October 2026, with their bail conditions removed.

Biti and Ncube, who are facing charges under Section 7(5) of the Maintenance of Peace and Order Act for allegedly convening a public gathering without notifying the police, appeared before Mutare magistrate Honest Musiyiwa on Tuesday.

Their case was postponed to next month despite the State having previously pledged to provide a trial date.

The pair were arrested on 21 March 2026 and first appeared in court on 23 March. Since then they have appeared on 13 April, 26 May, 16 July and 1 September.

The State undertook in court that if the trial does not start on 6 October, the charges will be put before plea.

Their bail conditions included a US$500 deposit, a restriction on gatherings, surrender of passports, reporting to the nearest police station fortnightly and not interfering with witnesses.

Speaking after the court appearance, their lawyer Chris Ndlovu of Gonese and Ndlovu Legal Practitioners said the defence was ready for trial, but the State had failed to provide trial dates and State papers.

“The State is just stalling. They are delaying. They are failing to provide us with the trial dates, yet we are ready,” Ndlovu said.

“We will remain in the trenches peacefully and constitutionally resisting attempts to privatise the State, resisting attempts to turn our country into a monarchy.”

According to the State, the pair convened a meeting of about 30 people at a private residence in Mutare in March without notifying the regulating authority, to discuss the Constitutional Amendment Bill No3 Bill which has since been passed into law.

More: Masvingo Mirror