News / National
Trial date for Thabitha Khumalo & co
05 Sep 2019 at 07:56hrs | Views
THE trial of seven MDC Alliance members among them, the party's chairperson, Thabitha Khumalo and Senator Helen Zivira Mpofu, who were recently arrested in Bulawayo for allegedly distributing fliers for their planned demonstration, has been set for September 17.
Khumalo (58), Mpofu (44), Tendai Masotsha (45), Elliot Mujeri (34) Tinashe Matimbura (28), Meliqiniso Sithole (42) and Shelton Tembo (35) appeared before Bulawayo magistrate, Mr Tinashe Tashaya, facing charges of publishing or communicating false statements prejudicial to the State.
They are all out of custody on $200 bail.
They were ordered not to interfere with witnesses and to report once a week at Bulawayo Central Police Station as part of their bail conditions.
The prosecutor, Mr Leonard Chile, said on August 17, the accused persons using a grey Ford Ranger and acting in common purpose went around Tshabalala and Nkulumane suburbs distributing fliers titled: "Free Zimbabwe campaign".
"The fliers, which were addressed to all Zimbabweans, asserted that the 2018 harmonised elections were stolen whilst they knew that such information was false," said Mr Chile. The offence was discovered by the police leading to the arrest of the accused persons and recovery of the fliers.
Meanwhile, the High Court has ordered police to release Khumalo's car, which they had seized over the alleged offence.
The ruling by Bulawayo High Court judge Justice Thompson Mabhikwa followed an urgent chamber application by Khumalo, through her lawyer Mr Godfrey Nyoni of Moyo and Nyoni Legal Practitioners, citing the officer-in-charge of Tshabalala Police Station, the officer commanding police in Nkulumane district, the officer in charge of Law and Order section at Bulawayo Central Police Station, Attorney-General Advocate Prince Machaya and Home Affairs and Cultural Heritage Minister Cain Mathema, as respondents.
In her founding affidavit, Khumalo said her car, a Ford Ranger, was unlawfully seized by police without any reasonable and justifiable reason.
"This is an urgent chamber application for an order to have the motor vehicle, a grey Ford Ranger registration number ADA 1607 released from Tshabalala Police Station. The motor vehicle under police custody is being unlawfully kept without any reasonable reason.
This is so because the crime I am allegedly accused of has nothing to do with the car in question," she said.
Khumalo (58), Mpofu (44), Tendai Masotsha (45), Elliot Mujeri (34) Tinashe Matimbura (28), Meliqiniso Sithole (42) and Shelton Tembo (35) appeared before Bulawayo magistrate, Mr Tinashe Tashaya, facing charges of publishing or communicating false statements prejudicial to the State.
They are all out of custody on $200 bail.
They were ordered not to interfere with witnesses and to report once a week at Bulawayo Central Police Station as part of their bail conditions.
The prosecutor, Mr Leonard Chile, said on August 17, the accused persons using a grey Ford Ranger and acting in common purpose went around Tshabalala and Nkulumane suburbs distributing fliers titled: "Free Zimbabwe campaign".
Meanwhile, the High Court has ordered police to release Khumalo's car, which they had seized over the alleged offence.
The ruling by Bulawayo High Court judge Justice Thompson Mabhikwa followed an urgent chamber application by Khumalo, through her lawyer Mr Godfrey Nyoni of Moyo and Nyoni Legal Practitioners, citing the officer-in-charge of Tshabalala Police Station, the officer commanding police in Nkulumane district, the officer in charge of Law and Order section at Bulawayo Central Police Station, Attorney-General Advocate Prince Machaya and Home Affairs and Cultural Heritage Minister Cain Mathema, as respondents.
In her founding affidavit, Khumalo said her car, a Ford Ranger, was unlawfully seized by police without any reasonable and justifiable reason.
"This is an urgent chamber application for an order to have the motor vehicle, a grey Ford Ranger registration number ADA 1607 released from Tshabalala Police Station. The motor vehicle under police custody is being unlawfully kept without any reasonable reason.
This is so because the crime I am allegedly accused of has nothing to do with the car in question," she said.
Source - chroncle
