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Chibaya, Machingauta convicted for unlawful gathering
29 Mar 2025 at 16:48hrs | Views
Former Citizens Coalition for Change (CCC) legislators Amos Chibaya and Costa Machingauta, along with three others, were convicted on Friday for participating in an unlawful gathering in Budiriro, Harare.
Magistrate Sharon Rakafa delivered the ruling, finding Chibaya, Machingauta, Monica Mukwada, Aletta Viremai, and Lancelot Tungwarara guilty of mobilizing people for the meeting while dressed in CCC regalia.
However, in a major development, 20 other accused individuals were acquitted after the court determined that they were arrested arbitrarily while walking along a road during the incident in 2023. Magistrate Rakafa ruled that these individuals were victims of a dragnet arrest and that the State had failed to prove their involvement in the political gathering.
The five convicted individuals were remanded out of custody and will return to court on Monday for sentencing.
According to the State, on January 14, 2023, a total of 25 individuals were invited to a CCC meeting at Machingauta's residence in Budiriro 5B, Harare. The meeting's invitation was reportedly circulated on social media by Tungwarara.
During the gathering, the convicted individuals were allegedly seen wearing CCC-branded caps, helmets, and T-shirts while chanting party slogans.
Acting on a tip-off, Budiriro police arrived at the scene and reportedly found that the gathering was disturbing public order. When officers ordered the crowd to disperse, the attendees allegedly resisted, leading to their arrest.
The case has sparked debate about political freedoms and law enforcement conduct, with critics arguing that opposition figures continue to face persecution under Zimbabwe's restrictive public order laws.
Magistrate Sharon Rakafa delivered the ruling, finding Chibaya, Machingauta, Monica Mukwada, Aletta Viremai, and Lancelot Tungwarara guilty of mobilizing people for the meeting while dressed in CCC regalia.
However, in a major development, 20 other accused individuals were acquitted after the court determined that they were arrested arbitrarily while walking along a road during the incident in 2023. Magistrate Rakafa ruled that these individuals were victims of a dragnet arrest and that the State had failed to prove their involvement in the political gathering.
The five convicted individuals were remanded out of custody and will return to court on Monday for sentencing.
During the gathering, the convicted individuals were allegedly seen wearing CCC-branded caps, helmets, and T-shirts while chanting party slogans.
Acting on a tip-off, Budiriro police arrived at the scene and reportedly found that the gathering was disturbing public order. When officers ordered the crowd to disperse, the attendees allegedly resisted, leading to their arrest.
The case has sparked debate about political freedoms and law enforcement conduct, with critics arguing that opposition figures continue to face persecution under Zimbabwe's restrictive public order laws.
Source - The Sunday Mail
