Zim authorities charge 21 people with public violence over ZEC protest

ZIMBABWEAN authorities on Thursday 02 August 2018 charged 21 people with committing public violence following protests staged in Harare after the announcement of results for the harmonised elections held on Monday.

Zimbabwe Republic Police (ZRP) officers raided the offices of the opposition MDC Alliance party and arrested 21 people after obtaining a search warrant authorising them to search for grenades, stones, unlicensed firearms, ammunition, computers, computer accessories and some subversive material allegedly possessed by opposition MDC Alliance leaders namely Nelson Chamisa, Tendai Biti, Happymore Chidziva, Denford Ngadziore, Stewart Mukoyi, pro-democracy campaigner Makomborero Haruzivishe and National Patriotic Front members Shadreck Mashayamombe and Jim Kunaka.

ZRP charged the 21 people, who are represented by Gift Mtisi and Denford Halimani of Zimbabwe Lawyers for Human Rights with committing public violence as defined in section 36 of the Criminal Law (Codification and Reform) Act. The law enforcement agents claimed that they were involved in alleged acts of public violence on Wednesday 01 August 2018 when protests erupted with civilians protesting against the outcome of the 2018 harmonised elections.

The 21 people are set to appear at Harare Magistrates Court on Saturday 04 August 2018.

Meanwhile, Mtisi and Halimani were on Friday 03 August 2018 pressing the ZRP to release Agatha Mubaiwa, who was arrested together with 20 others to allow her to be hospitalised as she is suffering from possible malaria.