News / Local
Judgement on Mahere 'dead baby tweet' postponed again
29 Nov 2022 at 00:26hrs | Views
JUDGEMENT in a case Citizens Coalition for Change (CCC) spokesperson, Fadzai Mahere is accused of publishing falsehoods has been postponed for the fourth time.
The presiding magistrate Taurai Manuwere was in no show Monday and no explanation was given for his failure to turn up.
This became the fourth time progress stalled since the State closed its case in August this year.
Mahere said this is disappointing.
"Its only in Zimbabwe you get arrested and jailed for tweeting against police brutality. We applied for discharge at the close of the State case in August…
"The magistrate did not show up. We were advised to come back on 8 Dec at 11.15am. No reason was given for his non-attendance. Last time, we were advised the matter had been mis-diarised and the ruling wasn't ready. This is the 4th time we've attended and judgment isn't ready," she complained.
It has been two years after Mahere‘s arrest, with prosecution having dragged due to non-cooperation of State witnesses.
Mahere is accused of publishing falsehoods in a case involving a woman whose child was erroneously reported to have been struck and killed by a baton wielding Harare police officer who was enforcing the country's lockdown rules earlier during the month.
The mother of the child is one Rebecca Musariri.
Also charged with the same offence are CCC lawmaker Job Sikhala and government critic, Hopewell Chin'ono.
ZRP refuted the claim and said the child at the centre of the storm was alive.
A video of the incident went viral in 2020, with the mother wailing while holding onto a police officer who "allegedly assaulted her baby to death."
The presiding magistrate Taurai Manuwere was in no show Monday and no explanation was given for his failure to turn up.
This became the fourth time progress stalled since the State closed its case in August this year.
Mahere said this is disappointing.
"Its only in Zimbabwe you get arrested and jailed for tweeting against police brutality. We applied for discharge at the close of the State case in August…
"The magistrate did not show up. We were advised to come back on 8 Dec at 11.15am. No reason was given for his non-attendance. Last time, we were advised the matter had been mis-diarised and the ruling wasn't ready. This is the 4th time we've attended and judgment isn't ready," she complained.
Mahere is accused of publishing falsehoods in a case involving a woman whose child was erroneously reported to have been struck and killed by a baton wielding Harare police officer who was enforcing the country's lockdown rules earlier during the month.
The mother of the child is one Rebecca Musariri.
Also charged with the same offence are CCC lawmaker Job Sikhala and government critic, Hopewell Chin'ono.
ZRP refuted the claim and said the child at the centre of the storm was alive.
A video of the incident went viral in 2020, with the mother wailing while holding onto a police officer who "allegedly assaulted her baby to death."
Source - NewZimbabwe
