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Resident under siege as police arrest former legislator
20 Jul 2016 at 16:44hrs | Views
Police on Tuesday 19 July 2016 arrested and charged former opposition legislator Blessing Chebundo and four other residents for allegedly participating in a protest held last week to highlight the country's deepening political and economic crisis.
Zimbabwe Lawyers for Human Rights said the five, who include Chebundo, Sekai Marashe, Tendai Kokera, Shadreck Tobaiwa and Moses Mashazhu were arrested on Saturday 16 July 2016 in Kwekwe, in Midlands province and charged with public violence as defined in Section 36 of the Criminal Law (Codification and Reform) Act.
"Chebundo and the four residents, who are represented by Reginald Chidawanyika of Zimbabwe Lawyers for Human Rights, are scheduled to appear in court on Wednesday 20 July 2016," ZLHR said.
"The arrest of the five residents comes days after police officers first apprehended four other residents including Kwekwe City Council Deputy Mayor Aaron Sithole, Councillor Weston Masiya, Tendai Virimai and Simon Machisvo on Saturday 16 July 2016 and charged them with public violence in contravention of Section 36 (1) (a) (b) (2) (3) of the Criminal Law (Codification and Reform) Act."
However, Machisvo was released by police officers citing lack of enough evidence to link him to the alleged offence.
In court prosecutors claimed that the trio of Sithole, Masiya and Virimai, who were represented by Chidawanyika together with some unidentified people, who are reportedly still at large, disturbed the peace, security or order of the public or any section of the public and invaded the rights of other people by stoning a police vehicle, whose registration number is ZRP 424X and Plate Glass (PG) Hardware intending such disturbance or invasion and realising that there was a real risk or possibility that such disturbance or invasion may occur.
Although, prosecutors opposed the application for bail filed by Chidawanyika, Magistrate Taurai Manwere proceeded to release Sithole, Masiya and Virimai on $200 bail each and ordered the trio to report once every Friday at Zimbabwe Republic Police (ZRP) Kwekwe's CID Law and Order Section and ZRP's Gweru's CID Law and Order Section until the matter is finalised.
Magistrate Manwere ordered Sithole, Masiya and Virimai to reside at their given residential addresses until the matter is finalized and remanded them out of custody for trial on 15 August 2016.
Zimbabwe Lawyers for Human Rights said the five, who include Chebundo, Sekai Marashe, Tendai Kokera, Shadreck Tobaiwa and Moses Mashazhu were arrested on Saturday 16 July 2016 in Kwekwe, in Midlands province and charged with public violence as defined in Section 36 of the Criminal Law (Codification and Reform) Act.
"Chebundo and the four residents, who are represented by Reginald Chidawanyika of Zimbabwe Lawyers for Human Rights, are scheduled to appear in court on Wednesday 20 July 2016," ZLHR said.
"The arrest of the five residents comes days after police officers first apprehended four other residents including Kwekwe City Council Deputy Mayor Aaron Sithole, Councillor Weston Masiya, Tendai Virimai and Simon Machisvo on Saturday 16 July 2016 and charged them with public violence in contravention of Section 36 (1) (a) (b) (2) (3) of the Criminal Law (Codification and Reform) Act."
However, Machisvo was released by police officers citing lack of enough evidence to link him to the alleged offence.
In court prosecutors claimed that the trio of Sithole, Masiya and Virimai, who were represented by Chidawanyika together with some unidentified people, who are reportedly still at large, disturbed the peace, security or order of the public or any section of the public and invaded the rights of other people by stoning a police vehicle, whose registration number is ZRP 424X and Plate Glass (PG) Hardware intending such disturbance or invasion and realising that there was a real risk or possibility that such disturbance or invasion may occur.
Although, prosecutors opposed the application for bail filed by Chidawanyika, Magistrate Taurai Manwere proceeded to release Sithole, Masiya and Virimai on $200 bail each and ordered the trio to report once every Friday at Zimbabwe Republic Police (ZRP) Kwekwe's CID Law and Order Section and ZRP's Gweru's CID Law and Order Section until the matter is finalised.
Magistrate Manwere ordered Sithole, Masiya and Virimai to reside at their given residential addresses until the matter is finalized and remanded them out of custody for trial on 15 August 2016.
Source - Byo24News
