Douglas Coltart expected to file remand challenge...

Douglas Coltart expected to file remand challenge

Lawyer Douglas Coltart, who appeared in court on Saturday, will challenge his remand to 29 November.

Doug had been arrested on Friday and subsequently appeared in court on Saturday.

His lawyer, Chris Mhike told said his client will challenge placement on remand as the case was remanded to November 29. “I do confirm that yesterday (Saturday), Doug Coltart appeared before magistrate Taurai Manuwere at Harare Magistrate’s court and he was admitted to free bail or, in other words, released on his own recognisance by the magistrate’s court,” Mhike said.

“Doug will therefore submit in the coming days his challenge to remand and the State will, about a week later, respond to that challenge. The case was remanded to November 29 by which time the court would have arrived at a decision regarding Doug Coltart’s challenge to remand.”

Doug is expected back in court on November 29.
The human rights lawyer was picked up at the Harare Magistrates’ Court where he had gone to represent Hopewell Chin’ono in a case of defeating the course of justice.

Mhike, is representing Coltart together with Beatrice Mtetwa and David Drury.

In a tweet after his release, Doug claimed the arrest was an attempt to intimidate him from doing his work.

“Thank you everyone for your wonderful solidarity in the face of this latest attempt to intimidate me from doing my work as a lawyer. Special thanks to the fantastic legal team and solidarity from fellow lawyers. I’ve been released. I will challenge these spurious charges head on,” he tweeted.

In 2019, Coltart was arrested during a protest organised by the Amalgamated Rural Teachers Union of Zimbabwe.

Doug was charged with “participating in gathering with intent to promote public violence, breaches of the peace or bigotry”.