HARARE Magistrate Elisha Singano on Friday 03 February 2017 remanded
Pastor Evan Mawarire in custody after he dismissed an application
filed by his lawyer challenging his placement on remand.

Pastor Mawarire’s lawyer Harrison Nkomo of Zimbabwe Lawyers for Human
Rights had asked Magistrate Singano to release the clergyman after
challenging the State’s request to place him on remand. In his
application, Nkomo argued that the arrest and detention of the
clergyman was illegal, unlawful and violated his constitutional
rights. He also argued that the charges pressed against Pastor
Mawarire did not amount to an offence.

But Magistrate Singano dismissed Pastor Mawarire’s application and
remanded him in custody to 17 February 2017. The Magistrate advised
Pastor Mawarire’s lawyer to approach the High Court for the
determination of bail.

Pastor Mawarire was arrested on Wednesday 01 February 2017 by Zimbabwe
Republic Police (ZRP) officers upon his return to the country and
charged with subverting a constitutional government as defined in
Section 22 (2) (a) of the Criminal Law (Codification and Reform) Act
Chapter 9:23.

On Thursday 02 February 2017, the ZRP officers added more woes to
Pastor Mawarire after they charged him with insulting the national
flag in contravention of Section 6 of the Flag of Zimbabwe Act Chapter
10:10 and inciting public violence as defined in Section 36 of the
Criminal Law (Codification and Reform) Act Chapter 9:23.