A parliamentary candidate for the branch of Zimbabwe's opposition Movement for Democratic Change led by Morgan Tsvangirai held by police since late last week has obtained a high court order for a bail hearing in his case on Thursday.
Police arrested Marvellous Khumalo and eight others Friday and charged them with committing public violence - they said they were simply campaigning door to door to drum up support ahead of parliamentary elections set for March 29.
Earlier this week the men were denied bail and remanded in custody to March 18.
Opposition sources said police have arrested Khumalo four times since the beginning of the year and recently raided the offices of civic groups in search of him.
Khumalo’s lawyer, Alec Muchadehama, told reporter Patience Rusere of VOA's Studio 7 for Zimbabwe that his client's arrest seems to be politically motivated.
More reports from VOA's Studio 7 for Zimbabwe...