'Mugabe too old' jibe suspect appeals to ConCourt

FORMER Gwanda councillor, Themba Nyoni (MDC-T), yesterday indicated that he would soon seek recourse at the Constitutional Court (ConCourt) after a local magistrate dismissed his application for exception on the charge of insulting President Robert Mugabe.

Nyoni (49) was arrested and charged on January 28 after he allegedly engaging in an altercation with Rural Development, Promotion and Preservation of National Culture and Heritage minister, Abednico Ncube.

During the commotion, the former MDC-T councillor is alleged to have shouted: "Mina angisoze ngi-joini Zanu-PF, hambani liyetshela uMugabe a-step down ukuthi ngize ngijoine iZanu-PF" which the law enforcement agents translated to mean; "Go and tell Mugabe to step down so that I can join Zanu-PF."

He is also alleged to have added Mugabe was too old and no longer able to efficiently run the country, a statement interpreted as insulting to the President. Nyoni has, however, denied the charge.

After his application for exception to the charge was dismissed by Gwanda provincial magistrate Mafios Moyo yesterday, Moyo through his lawyer Lizwe Jamela said he would seek referral of the matter to the ConCourt challenging the constitutionality of the charge.

Jamela said he would filed his papers on April 19 to enable the court to rule on the application on April 25.