Zim Authorities Drop Charges against Mnangagwa’s Critic as Court Sets Free Gweru...

Zim Authorities Drop Charges against Mnangagwa’s Critic as Court Sets Free Gweru Resident

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ZIMBABWEAN authorities have dropped charges against Munyaradzi Shoko, the leader of the Children of Zimbabwe War Veterans’ Association (COZWA), who was arrested for allegedly posting some offensive statements on Facebook against President-elect Emmerson Mnangagwa.

Shoko, a known critic of Mnangagwa was arrested by Zimbabwe Republic Police (ZRP) officers on Tuesday 21 August 2018 and charged with criminal nuisance as defined in section 46 as read with paragraph 2 (v) of the third schedule of the Criminal Law (Codification Reform) Act Chapter 9:23.

ZRP officers claimed that Shoko, who was represented by Moses Nkomo of Zimbabwe Lawyers for Human Rights posted some statements on Facebook between March and May 2018 criticising Mnangagwa and which read; “At one time he beat up his own biological mother, he was later suspected for killing his own family head-boy. He was pinpointed for being the brains behind Ndebele 1980s scum. His name is generally associated with evil and devilish deeds. Today he is pleading for ur vote. WHAT A SHAME!!!!!!!!.”

ZRP officers said Shoko’s statements were likely to create a nuisance and would interfere with the ordinary comfort, peace or quietness of the public.

But on Thursday 23 August 2018, prosecutors dropped the criminal nuisance charges against Shoko together with the public violence charges, which they had pressed against the COZWA leader.

ZRP officers had charged Shoko with public violence as defined in section 36 of the Criminal Law (Codification and Reform) Act Chapter 9:23 for allegedly participating in protests staged in Harare early this month over delays in announcing the results of the harmonised elections held last month.

Prosecutors only pressed ahead with the assault charges, where they alleged that Shoko contravened section 89 of the Criminal Law (Codification and Reform) Act Chapter 9:23 after he allegedly assaulted Energy Mutodi, a ZANU PF member on 25 August 2017 at Holiday Inn Hotel in Harare.

However, Shoko was set free after the National Prosecuting Authority refused to put him on remand and instructed ZRP officers to proceed by way of summons if they intend to prosecute the COZWA leader.

Meanwhile, a Gweru Magistrate on Thursday 23 August 2018 granted free bail to Musa Mandirewa, a resident in the Midlands provincial capital, who was arrested on Tuesday 21 August 2018 and charged with malicious damage to property as defined in section 140 of the Criminal Law (Codification and Reform) Act Chapter 9:23.

Prosecutors claimed that Mandirewa, who is represented by Jabulani Mhlanga of ZLHR, threw a stone at a vehicle owned by the Gweru City Council and damaged the vehicle’s rear windscreen during clashes which broke out between ZRP officers, municipal police and some informal traders.

Mandirewa returns to court on 11 September 2018 for trial.

ENDS
Zimbabwe Lawyers for Human Rights
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