By Bulawayo Correspondent

GUKURAHUNDI Survivor, Charles Thomas, 54, and another Bulawayo man who are accused of fatally stoning a police officer during last year’s violent January protests over a sharp fuel hike, were on Friday placed off remand.

This was after the State had indicated it was not yet ready to prosecute the two.  

Bulawayo High Court judge, Justice Nokuthula Moyo last year granted Thomas and Bernard Sibanda, 18, $100 bail each after languishing at the notorious Khami Remand Prison for almost a month following denial of bail at the magistrates’ court.

Through their lawyer Dumisani Dube, the two successfully sought to be placed off remand, arguing that the State had failed to build a case against them, some 13 months after their arrest.

The State was alleging that on 14 January last year in Njube suburb, the accused ganged up with a mob and stoned police officer, Ekson Maune, leaving him for dead.

Maune succumbed to the injuries at the United Bulawayo Hospitals (UBH) where he was admitted into the intensive CARE Unit (ICU)

Thomas was once arrested alongside exiled politician, Paul Siwela in 2011 for allegedly distributing fliers calling on Zimbabweans to revolt against the government.

The two were charged with treason, but Thomas was later acquitted while Siwela fled the country after he was granted bail.