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ZIM Clergyman held over anti-Mugabe protest
16 Dec 2015 at 05:39hrs | Views
The Zimbabwe Lawyers for Human Rights have reported that Zimbabwean police have arrested and detained a 45 year-old clergyman during the just ended ZANU PF National People's Conference for allegedly staging a demonstration denouncing President Robert Mugabe's 35 year-old reign.
ZLHR states that in a fresh crackdown against dissent, police in Victoria Falls in Matabeleland North province, on Friday 11 December 2015 arrested Pastor Patrick Phillip Mugadza and charged him with criminal nuisance in contravention of Section 46 of the Criminal Law (Codification and Reform) Act Chapter 9:23 after he allegedly staged a demonstration in the resort town protesting against the manner in which the ZANU PF party leader had presided over the affairs of the country.
The organisation states that Listen Nare of the National Prosecuting Authority alleged that Mugadza, who resides in Kariba in Mashonaland West province, disturbed the movement of some ZANU PF party supporters who were on their way to attend the ruling party's annual National People's Conference by waving a banner with a message denouncing President Mugabe's leadership of the southern African country.
Nare claimed that Mugadza, a Pastor affiliated to The Remnant Church, committed criminal nuisance by waving a banner in the resort town, which read "Mr President. The people are suffering. Proverbs Chapter 21 Verse 13".
The Prosecutor charged that Mugadza acted unlawfully because his actions disturbed the movement of members of the public.
Mugadza, who first appeared at Victoria Falls Magistrates Court on Saturday 12 December 2015 and was briefly freed on summons, returned to court on Monday 14 December 2015 and was remanded in custody to Tuesday 15 December 2015, where Magistrate Lindiwe Maphosa is expected to hand down her ruling on his application for refusal of placement on remand.
In the application challenging his placement on remand, which was filed by his lawyer Thulani Nkala of Dube and Company Legal Practitioners, a member of Zimbabwe Lawyers for Human Rights, the 45 year-old Kariba based Pastor argued that he had not committed any offence as he just exercised his constitutional right as guaranteed under Section 59 of the new Constitution which provides for "freedom to demonstrate and petition".
ZLHR states that in a fresh crackdown against dissent, police in Victoria Falls in Matabeleland North province, on Friday 11 December 2015 arrested Pastor Patrick Phillip Mugadza and charged him with criminal nuisance in contravention of Section 46 of the Criminal Law (Codification and Reform) Act Chapter 9:23 after he allegedly staged a demonstration in the resort town protesting against the manner in which the ZANU PF party leader had presided over the affairs of the country.
The organisation states that Listen Nare of the National Prosecuting Authority alleged that Mugadza, who resides in Kariba in Mashonaland West province, disturbed the movement of some ZANU PF party supporters who were on their way to attend the ruling party's annual National People's Conference by waving a banner with a message denouncing President Mugabe's leadership of the southern African country.
Nare claimed that Mugadza, a Pastor affiliated to The Remnant Church, committed criminal nuisance by waving a banner in the resort town, which read "Mr President. The people are suffering. Proverbs Chapter 21 Verse 13".
The Prosecutor charged that Mugadza acted unlawfully because his actions disturbed the movement of members of the public.
Mugadza, who first appeared at Victoria Falls Magistrates Court on Saturday 12 December 2015 and was briefly freed on summons, returned to court on Monday 14 December 2015 and was remanded in custody to Tuesday 15 December 2015, where Magistrate Lindiwe Maphosa is expected to hand down her ruling on his application for refusal of placement on remand.
In the application challenging his placement on remand, which was filed by his lawyer Thulani Nkala of Dube and Company Legal Practitioners, a member of Zimbabwe Lawyers for Human Rights, the 45 year-old Kariba based Pastor argued that he had not committed any offence as he just exercised his constitutional right as guaranteed under Section 59 of the new Constitution which provides for "freedom to demonstrate and petition".
Source - Byo24News
