News / National
Gwisai, community service suspended
13 Apr 2012 at 21:42hrs | Views
FORMER Highfield legislator Munyaradzi Gwisai and five activists convicted of plotting to commit public violence yesterday had their community service suspended pending appeal by the High Court. The law lecturer, together with Hopewell Gumbo
(33), Welcome Zimuto (26), Antoneta Choto (37), Tatenda Mombeyarara (30) and Edson Chakuma (39) successfully challenged the lower court decision ordering them to serve their sentence while their appeal against both conviction and sentence was still pending.
High Court judge Justice Nicholas Mathonsi ruled that the six should stop performing community service pending their appeal.
The six were fined US$500 each and ordered to perform 420 hours of community service when they were convicted by Harare magistrate Mr Kudakwashe Jarabini.
They were arrested during a meeting at which they were watching video footage of mass uprisings in Egypt and Tunisia last year in the city centre.
Their lawyer Mr Alec Muchadehama argued that the trial court erred in convicting his clients.
Mr Muchadehama said the charge sheet did not clearly spell out which subsections of paragraphs of Section 188 and 36 of the Criminal Law (Codification and Reform) Act, his clients contravened and for which the magistrate convicted them.
(33), Welcome Zimuto (26), Antoneta Choto (37), Tatenda Mombeyarara (30) and Edson Chakuma (39) successfully challenged the lower court decision ordering them to serve their sentence while their appeal against both conviction and sentence was still pending.
High Court judge Justice Nicholas Mathonsi ruled that the six should stop performing community service pending their appeal.
They were arrested during a meeting at which they were watching video footage of mass uprisings in Egypt and Tunisia last year in the city centre.
Their lawyer Mr Alec Muchadehama argued that the trial court erred in convicting his clients.
Mr Muchadehama said the charge sheet did not clearly spell out which subsections of paragraphs of Section 188 and 36 of the Criminal Law (Codification and Reform) Act, his clients contravened and for which the magistrate convicted them.
Source - TH
