Biti throws away summons

There was drama at the Harare Magistrates Court yesterday when MDC Alliance vice president Tendai Biti ran away from a police officer who was trying to serve him with summons for a case of public violence.

The incident took place as Biti was coming out of court where he was being tried for allegedly insulting a Russian businesswoman at the court premises.

Biti threw the summons on the ground upon being served by the police officer. In the summons, Biti is jointly charged with Simangaliso Singo and Jimu Kunaka.

Allegations are that on August 1, 2018, the accused persons were part of a group which was armed with various weapons staging a demonstration.

The group was clad in MDC Alliance regalia. According to court papers, the demonstrators were complaining about the late announcement of the July 30, 2018 presidential election results.

The accused persons, allegedly acting in common purpose, marched along Jason Moyo Avenue, Harare towards the Harare international Conference Centre (HICC) where the Zimbabwe Electoral Commission was due to announce the results of the 2018 harmonised elections.

The demonstrators were allegedly singing, whistling and chanting MDC Alliance slogans.

When the demonstrators got to the HICC they were dispersed by police and the accused persons and a group of people proceeded to Fourth Street bus terminus where they pulled down a billboard with the portrait of President Mnangagwa and burnt it.

It is alleged that they proceeded to Zanu-PF Harare provincial headquarters where they burnt six vehicles.