The Zimbabwean state has once again failed the justice system — this time by missing a critical court deadline in the ongoing case against veteran opposition figure Jameson Timba and 77 other accused citizens. Their application for discharge, filed promptly on Monday by their defense lawyers, was due for a ruling today. But due to the state’s late response, the court may postpone the decision, dragging out the detention of the accused even further.
Timba and his co-accused were arrested on June 16 during what police called an “illegal gathering with the intent to promote violence.” The arrest took place at Timba’s home in Avondale, Harare, just before the SADC summit. The charges have widely been seen as politically motivated, aimed at intimidating dissenters and silencing opposition voices.
The court had set a clear timeline: prosecutors Lance Mutsokoti and Sheila Mupindu were ordered to submit the state’s response to the discharge application by Wednesday at 11 a.m. The goal was to allow for a final ruling today at 2:15 p.m. But the state ignored that deadline. No papers were submitted on time. The state only responded this morning — more than 24 hours late.
This delay has not only disrupted the court’s schedule but has also dashed the hopes of the detained, who had anticipated a possible release today. The court is now forced to allow the defense to respond orally, potentially dragging the process even longer. The result is more jail time for people who have not been convicted of any crime — a violation of their basic rights.
Among the detainees is Ndapuwa Shaun Timba, son of Jameson Timba, who has filed his own separate application for discharge. His case, too, was expected to be decided today. That, like everything else in this case, is now in limbo due to state negligence.
The defense team, having met every court deadline, was ready for today’s ruling. Their frustration is clear. The delay raises troubling questions about whether the state is acting in good faith or merely using legal stalling tactics to prolong punishment without trial. It is a strategy often used against opposition figures in Zimbabwe — jail them first, then build a case later.
Timba and his co-accused have been in detention for more than a month. They have been denied their liberty while the state struggles to justify the charges against them. This is not just a legal issue — it’s a human one. Every additional day behind bars is a violation of their rights and an abuse of process.
The stakes are high. If the discharge application is granted, the accused could be freed immediately. That would be a major blow to the state, exposing the case for what many believe it is — a politically driven attempt to suppress dissent. On the other hand, if the ruling is delayed or denied without proper cause, it will send a chilling message about the state of justice in Zimbabwe.
This delay is also a stark reminder of the broader challenges facing political detainees. The courts, already burdened, are now being forced to accommodate the state’s lack of urgency — at the expense of people’s freedom. It shows how the justice system can be weaponized not just through charges, but through the slow grind of process and delay.
As of this afternoon, the court is still expected to hear the state’s late response and give the defense a chance to respond orally. Whether a ruling will be made today is unclear. If it is postponed, it will mark yet another chapter in a long and unjust saga that has seen Timba and 77 others held without trial, without relief, and without clarity.
Today was meant to bring justice. Instead, it brings more waiting, more frustration, and more pain for the accused and their families. The state’s failure to meet its obligations is not just a delay — it is an indictment of the very system meant to protect citizens from abuse.
The world is watching. The outcome of this case will speak volumes about Zimbabwe’s commitment to justice, fairness, and human rights. For Jameson Timba and the 77 others, freedom still hangs in the balance.