THREE MDC activists accused of publishing falsehoods prejudicial to the State and defeating the course of justice have been denied bail and remanded in custody to June 26.

Harare West MP Joanah Mamombe (27), Cecilia Chimbiri (31) and Netsai Marova (25) were on Friday last week remanded in custody when they appeared before Harare magistrate Bianca Makwande.

It is the State’s case that the trio made headlines which were aimed at tarnishing the image of the President Emmerson Mnangagwa-led government by stage-managing an abduction on May 13, 2020 after staging a demonstration in Warren Park, Harare.

However, the State alleges that Mamombe and her accomplices were instead captured on CCTV at Belgravia Shopping Centre in Harare at a time they are alleging to have been in custody of suspected State agents at an unknown place.

The State alleged that on the same day the three advised their lawyers and family members through telephone calls, text and WhatsApp messages that they had been arrested by the police at a Showground roadblock and that they were at Harare Central Police Station.