News / National
High Court overturns conviction and sentence of activists arrested for plotting to topple Mugabe
12 Jun 2018 at 19:41hrs | Views
The High Court of Zimbabwe has overturned conviction and sentence of six human rights activists who were arrested in 2011 for allegedly plotting a demonstration against the then government of Robert Mugabe.
The six are former Highfield MDC MP Munyaradzi Gwisai and was jointly charged with Antonette Choto, Tatenda Mombeyarara, Edson Chakuma, Hopewell Gumbo and Welcome Zimuto
The state accused Gwisai and his colleagues of trying to instigate Arab spring like uprisings by showing Zimbabweans a video of what had transpired in Egypt.
In March 2012, Harare magistrate Kudakwashe Jarabini ordered Gwisai and his colleagues to pay $500 fine or spend 10 months in prison following their conviction on charges of conspiracy to commit public violence.
In addition, they were each sentenced to 24 months in prison of which 12 months were suspended on condition of good behaviour.
The remaining 12 months were set aside on condition that each of the activists would perform 420 hours of community service.
The activists, however, appealed against conviction and the sentence.
The six are former Highfield MDC MP Munyaradzi Gwisai and was jointly charged with Antonette Choto, Tatenda Mombeyarara, Edson Chakuma, Hopewell Gumbo and Welcome Zimuto
The state accused Gwisai and his colleagues of trying to instigate Arab spring like uprisings by showing Zimbabweans a video of what had transpired in Egypt.
In addition, they were each sentenced to 24 months in prison of which 12 months were suspended on condition of good behaviour.
The remaining 12 months were set aside on condition that each of the activists would perform 420 hours of community service.
The activists, however, appealed against conviction and the sentence.
Source - Byo24News
