Zim's pastor Mawarire spends 2nd night in custody... at least 8 witnesses to testify against him

Harare - Zimbabwe protest pastor Evan Mawarire spent a second night in police custody on Monday, awaiting his appearance at the Harare magistrates' court on charges of trying to subvert the government.

Mawarire was arrested at his church on Sunday, a day after he went online to urge Zimbabweans to take action to stop the country's worsening economic crisis. He talked about the panic buying in Harare, and the reemergence of fuel queues, which he said showed the situation was urgent.

On Monday, he pleaded not guilty at the Harare High Court at the start of his trial on an earlier charge of subversion. That charge stems from anti-government demonstrations he helped to organise last year.

The Zimbabwe Lawyers for Human Rights says state prosecutors have lined up eight witnesses to testify against him.

Proceedings adjourned early on Monday to allow defence lawyers time to view some of the video clips that form the basis of the state's case, said the state-run Herald.

On his return Monday from the UN General Assembly, President Robert Mugabe admitted that shortages in the country may have been caused by people within the ruling party who wanted to trigger a revolt against his government while he was away, the state-run Chronicle reported him as saying.