Source: Zimbabwe Lawyers for Human Rights
A ZIMBABWEAN court on Friday 03 March 2017 convicted pro-democracy campaigner Linda Masarira and acquitted four other human rights activists in the first conviction of anti-government protesters who allegedly staged crippling protests against President Robert Mugabe’s administration last year.
Mbare Magistrate Stanford Mambanje convicted Masarira, who had been on trial since last year after she was arrested on 06 July 2016 together with nine other Harare residents and charged with contravening Section 38 of the Criminal Law (Codification and Reform) Act Chapter 9:23 for allegedly obstructing or endangering free movements of persons or vehicles during the #ShutdownZim2016 anti-government protests.
In convicting Masarira, who was represented by Kudzayi Kadzere of Zimbabwe Lawyers for Human Rights (ZLHR), Magistrate Mambanje labeled the pro-democracy campaigner a notorious activist and a social media agitator.
Masarira was granted bail on Friday 03 March 2017 pending sentence on Monday 06 March 2017.
However, four other human rights activists who were also on trial with Masarira were acquitted. The other activists had been discharged at the close of the State case last year.
Meanwhile, Harare Magistrate Nomsa Sabarauta on Thursday 02 March 2017 acquitted Shakespear Mukoyi, the MDC-T political party’s Youth Assembly’s Deputy Chairperson.
In acquitting Mukoyi, who was represented by Gift Mtisi of ZLHR, Magistrate Sabarauta ruled that the State failed through its two witnesses to lead evidence which a reasonable court might use to convict the MDC-T youth leader of any offence.
Mukoyi had been on trial since January after he was arrested on Wednesday 26 October 2016 and charged with contravening Section 187 as read with Section 36 (1) (a) of the Criminal Law (Codification and Reform) Act Chapter 09:23.
Prosecutors had charged that the 40 year-old Mukoyi contravened Section 187 as read with Section 36 (1) (a) of the Criminal Law (Codification and Reform) Act after he allegedly unlawfully incited members of the public during a rally held on Sunday 23 October 2016 at Mukandabhutsu Open Space in Harare’s Msasa suburb, where he allegedly uttered the words: “Kana mupurisa afarisa anenge angotirova ngaachigara kuChikurubi camp nekuti tikazomuona aine uniform achifamba famba tichazomurovawo”.
Source: Zimbabwe Lawyers for Human Rights