News / Local
Chitungwiza mayor Maiko acquitted
29 Sep 2023 at 01:20hrs | Views
Chitungwiza Mayor Lovemore Maiko and five CCC (Citizens Coalition for Change) councillors have been acquitted after being arrested for convening an unauthorized council meeting.
Former Minister of Local Government and Public Works, July Moyo, suspended these six former CCC councillors in October of the previous year for allegedly organizing an election meeting to select a mayor for the town without authorization.
The arrested individuals included Mayor Maiko, former Deputy Mayor Musa Makweza (ward 19), ex-CCC Council Chief Whip Richard Chamutsa (ward 5), Peter Matiringe (ward 10), Kuda John (ward 21), and former ward 14 councillor Chengetai Nyagondo.
Mayor Maiko was charged with accepting his reinstatement as mayor during this "unlawful" election meeting after being recalled by the MDC-T led by Douglas Mwonzora.
Lawyer Noble Chinhanhu, representing the councillors from the Zimbabwe Human Rights NGO Forum, revealed that they had raised concerns about the tribunal participants, some of whom were allegedly members of Zanu-PF.
"In this context, the six councillors felt that the acting mayor at the time, Mr. Kiven Mutimbanyoka, was obstructing every process to elect a substantive mayor and had been doing so since April 2022 until the recent harmonized elections.
"On October 7, Mr. Mutimbanyoka left a meeting when an election was called, claiming to have adjourned it, but procedurally, more than 20 councillors ignored the procedural adjournment and proceeded to hold an election.
"The Urban Councils Act clearly states that councillors should enjoy immunity from prosecution or any claims arising from situations where they are carrying out their duties as councillors," Chinhanhu explained.
He further mentioned that his clients believed they were being unfairly targeted, as numerous councillors had been involved in the elections.
According to Chinhanhu, the court dismissed the case after the State failed to present any evidence against the CCC councillors.
"The court made the right decision in acquitting the six accused individuals at the close of the State's case, as there was no evidence whatsoever to prove that they had committed any wrongdoing," he stated.
Former Minister of Local Government and Public Works, July Moyo, suspended these six former CCC councillors in October of the previous year for allegedly organizing an election meeting to select a mayor for the town without authorization.
The arrested individuals included Mayor Maiko, former Deputy Mayor Musa Makweza (ward 19), ex-CCC Council Chief Whip Richard Chamutsa (ward 5), Peter Matiringe (ward 10), Kuda John (ward 21), and former ward 14 councillor Chengetai Nyagondo.
Mayor Maiko was charged with accepting his reinstatement as mayor during this "unlawful" election meeting after being recalled by the MDC-T led by Douglas Mwonzora.
Lawyer Noble Chinhanhu, representing the councillors from the Zimbabwe Human Rights NGO Forum, revealed that they had raised concerns about the tribunal participants, some of whom were allegedly members of Zanu-PF.
"On October 7, Mr. Mutimbanyoka left a meeting when an election was called, claiming to have adjourned it, but procedurally, more than 20 councillors ignored the procedural adjournment and proceeded to hold an election.
"The Urban Councils Act clearly states that councillors should enjoy immunity from prosecution or any claims arising from situations where they are carrying out their duties as councillors," Chinhanhu explained.
He further mentioned that his clients believed they were being unfairly targeted, as numerous councillors had been involved in the elections.
According to Chinhanhu, the court dismissed the case after the State failed to present any evidence against the CCC councillors.
"The court made the right decision in acquitting the six accused individuals at the close of the State's case, as there was no evidence whatsoever to prove that they had committed any wrongdoing," he stated.
Source - newsday
