ZIM Man on Trial for Insulting Mnangagwa

ZIM Man on Trial for Insulting Mnangagwa

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A ZIMBABWEAN man has denied accusations of undermining authority of or insulting President Emmerson Mnangagwa after he allegedly questioned some ruling ZANU PF party sympathisers’ support for their leader at a time when he stands accused of mismanaging the country’s political and economic affairs.

On Friday 8 July 2022, 41 year-old Morgan Muchemwa of Rushinga in Mashonaland Central province appeared before Magistrate Dambaza, where his trial commenced on charges of undermining authority of or insulting the president as defined in Section 33(2)(b) of the Criminal Law (Codification and Reform) Act.

In court, prosecutors claimed that Muchemwa publicly, unlawfully and intentionally made an abusive indecent or obscene statement about or concerning President Mnangagwa on 25 May 2019 at Marymount Business Centre in Rushinga by blaming him for presiding over the suffering endured by Zimbabweans.

The unemployed Muchemwa, who is represented by Tinomuda Shoko of Zimbabwe Lawyers for Human Rights (ZLHR), allegedly acted unlawfully when he told three ZANU PF party supporters namely Hazvinei Zhiwau, Chipo Chiunje and Natty Kajengo, who were on their way to attend a political party meeting at Bopoma Primary School, that they were wasting their time in lending support to President Mnangagwa and his ZANU PF party.

As trial commenced, Muchemwa excepted to the charge of undermining authority of or insulting President Mnangagwa and argued that the charge is vague and lacks some particular elements to enable one to plead to it.

Muchemwa returns to court on 2 August 2022, where Magistrate Dambaza will hand down his ruling on the application for exception to the charges of undermining authority of or insulting President Mnangagwa.

ENDS

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