News / National
Election fraud culprits ordered to pay $100 fine
06 Aug 2013 at 06:24hrs | Views
A Harare man who was arrested on allegations of committing election-related offences has been ordered to pay US$100 fine while six others were remanded in custody pending their trial.
John Zengeni (22) who was convicted for impersonation after he tried to use his brother's national identity card to vote, risks going to prison for one month if he fails to pay the fine.
Magistrate Ms Anita Tshuma convicted him on his own plea of guilty. She, however, denied Malvern Maketshemu (33) bail on the grounds that he was a flight risk. Ms Tshuma said after the commission of the offence, Maketshemu attempted to flee from the police and was only apprehended with the help of the public.
She said a suspect who runs away from the police was not a proper candidate for bail. The other group, Anna Bvute (39), Phillip Mabika (39), Beauty Maenzanise (36), Nobosi Chamhukwira (42) and Kudakwashe Mufari (43) appeared before magistrate Mr Tendai Mahwe who also denied them bail.
Bvute and Mabika allegedly destroyed a voter's roll for ward 43 in Budiriro while Maenzanise, Chamhukirwa and Mufari were said to have distributed pamphlets on behalf of candidates at a polling station.
In denying them bail Mr Mahwe said they committed a serious offence.
"There was likely to be chaos in the country if no free and fair elections were conducted in light of the missing voters roll," he said.
On July 31, Zengeni went to a polling station to cast his vote using his brother's national identity card and a voter's slip.
He presented the particulars to the polling officers who then discovered that the particulars were not his leading to his arrest. It is alleged Maenzanise, Chamhukirwa and Mufari were caught dropping MDC-T Cross Over rally flyers at a polling station.
The court heard that on July 31 the trio dropped leaflets and pamphlets with Harare North parliamentary aspirant Theresa Makone, council candidate Chamhukwira and presidential candidate Morgan Tsvangirai at an open space at Donnybrook Manresa Mabvuku polling station.
Bvute and Mabika are alleged to have concealed the voters roll for Budiriro Ward 43. Allegations are that Bvute was asked to check a mix-up of names in the roll by chief elections officer for Budiriro Tauyanarwo Makuza.
Bvute was allegedly given the voter's roll while in the company of Jonathan Gandiya and John Zukwa, who are also election agents.
After being given the instruction Mabika allegedly joined Bvute after the other agents had left and they destroyed the voter's roll, it is alleged.
John Zengeni (22) who was convicted for impersonation after he tried to use his brother's national identity card to vote, risks going to prison for one month if he fails to pay the fine.
Magistrate Ms Anita Tshuma convicted him on his own plea of guilty. She, however, denied Malvern Maketshemu (33) bail on the grounds that he was a flight risk. Ms Tshuma said after the commission of the offence, Maketshemu attempted to flee from the police and was only apprehended with the help of the public.
She said a suspect who runs away from the police was not a proper candidate for bail. The other group, Anna Bvute (39), Phillip Mabika (39), Beauty Maenzanise (36), Nobosi Chamhukwira (42) and Kudakwashe Mufari (43) appeared before magistrate Mr Tendai Mahwe who also denied them bail.
Bvute and Mabika allegedly destroyed a voter's roll for ward 43 in Budiriro while Maenzanise, Chamhukirwa and Mufari were said to have distributed pamphlets on behalf of candidates at a polling station.
In denying them bail Mr Mahwe said they committed a serious offence.
On July 31, Zengeni went to a polling station to cast his vote using his brother's national identity card and a voter's slip.
He presented the particulars to the polling officers who then discovered that the particulars were not his leading to his arrest. It is alleged Maenzanise, Chamhukirwa and Mufari were caught dropping MDC-T Cross Over rally flyers at a polling station.
The court heard that on July 31 the trio dropped leaflets and pamphlets with Harare North parliamentary aspirant Theresa Makone, council candidate Chamhukwira and presidential candidate Morgan Tsvangirai at an open space at Donnybrook Manresa Mabvuku polling station.
Bvute and Mabika are alleged to have concealed the voters roll for Budiriro Ward 43. Allegations are that Bvute was asked to check a mix-up of names in the roll by chief elections officer for Budiriro Tauyanarwo Makuza.
Bvute was allegedly given the voter's roll while in the company of Jonathan Gandiya and John Zukwa, who are also election agents.
After being given the instruction Mabika allegedly joined Bvute after the other agents had left and they destroyed the voter's roll, it is alleged.
Source - herald
