A Zimbabwe court sent opposition leader Jameson Timba and 65 supporters back to jail Wednesday to await trial on charges of unlawful gathering following their arrests nearly three months ago.
Police arrested the interim leader of the opposition Citizens Coalition for Change (CCC) with nearly 80 people at his home in Harare on June 16 and accused them of intending to promote public violence.
The Harare Magistrate's Court acquitted the group of disorderly conduct but said they must still face a charge of being in an unlawful gathering when they were arrested.
Timba and the dozens of followers jailed for nearly 11 weeks were in court for the long-awaited hearing, which has been postponed several times.
Court acquittals
Magistrate Collet Ncube acquitted 12 of them of both charges, saying some were not even part of the gathering at Timba's home. They included Timba's 19-year-old son, who said he had been delivering a Father's Day gift.
A separate court released on bail Wednesday three pro-democracy activists jailed since July 31 on charges of disorderly conduct for protesting the arrest of Timba and the others.
Rights activist Namatai Kwekweza, teachers' union leader Robson Chere, and former Harare municipal councillor Samuel Gwenzi were hauled off a plane at the Harare international airport as they were about to fly to a civil society conference in the town of Victoria Falls.
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