The applicant, a distinguished public figure and former president of Zimbabwe, had been charged with a number of serious sexual offences, and the matter had attracted extensive coverage in the media. At the start of his trial it was argued that, as a consequence of the adverse pre-trial publicity to which he had been subjected, he would not receive a fair trial in accordance with section 18(2) of the Constitution of Zimbabwe, 1979, and that, therefore, a permanent stay of proceedings should be ordered.