THE HIGH Court has quashed and set aside the conviction of Timothy Chiminya, a traditional leader, who refers himself to as King Munhumutapa, who had been convicted and sentenced to serve 10 months in jail, for allegedly undermining authority of or insulting President Emmerson Mnangagwa.
Chiminya was convicted by Harare Magistrate Tapiwa Kuhudzai on 10 November 2025 and sentenced on 13 November 2025 to serve jail time after he stood trial following his arrest on 16 December 2024 in Harare, where he was charged with undermining the authority of the President in contravention of section 33 of the Criminal Law (Codification and Reform) Act (Chapter 9:23).
During trial at Harare Magistrates Court, prosecutors alleged that Chiminya insulted the authority of the President by purporting to appoint traditional Chiefs, which is a preserve for the President. He was also accused of purporting to dethrone some traditional chiefs in Zimbabwe.
Magistrate Kuhudzai sentenced Chiminya to serve 10 months in prison, two of which were suspended for a period of five years on condition of good behavior, which meant that he would serve an effective eight months in prison.
But on Friday 20 February 2026, Harare High Court Judges Justice Benjamin Chikowero and Justice Maxwell Takuva quashed both his conviction and sentence and acquitted him after upholding his appeal against Magistrate Kuhudzai’s decision.
Chiminya was represented by Gift Mtisi of Zimbabwe Lawyers for Human Rights.
ENDS
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