HARARE - A Gweru magistrate has ordered further remand in judicial custody for Tryvinne Musokeri, Zimbabwe National Students Union, (Zinasu) secretary-general.

Musokeri, a second year Marketing student at the Midlands State University (MSU), was returned to Hwahwa Prison where he has been held for the past three weeks after apearing before a Gweru court on Monday.

He will appear again in court today. Musokeri is accused of missing a court appearance, leading to his arrest and subsequent imprisonment on contempt of court charges.

He was remanded in custody after absconding a court case in which he was charged under the harsh Public Order and Security Act (Posa) over a demonstration he and his colleagues staged at MSU last year.

The demonstration was in protest at the barring of students from sitting for their exams after government failed to pay their fees under the Cadetship programme.

Musokeri is jointly charged with Believe Tevera and two other student activists also from MSU, who were released two weeks ago after spending a week in prison.

Meanwhile, MSU vice chancellor Prof Ngwabi Bhebhe has suspended Tevera after he penned a damning newspaper article protesting their arrest and detention in Hwahwa Prison.

“It has come to my attention that you violated the rules of student conduct and discipline, Ordinance Number 2 of 2000, in that you published articles in the paper calling upon students of Midlands State University to go on a demonstration which was clearly a potential threat to the smooth functioning of the university at a time when the preparation for end of semester examinations had reached a very advanced stage,” Bhebhe’s October 29 letter says.

Zinasu president Pride Mukono slammed the suspension and detention of his colleagues.

“The rogue government has failed to provide free, quality education, and their own resort is to cage those who lead the people’s calls for these things,” Mkono said. - Staff Writer