Chamisa's activists cleared of public violence charges

THREE Gweru Citizens Coalition for Change (CCC) activists were acquitted of charges of public violence on Tuesday.

John Kuka (38), Raphael Chipunza (51) and Simbarashe Kupfurutsa (31) were being accused of storming a house belonging to a Zanu-PF member, William Gondo, and harassing his wife.

Gondo contested and lost in by-elections held in March last year.

In her ruling, Gweru magistrate Miriam Banda discharged the trio citing variances in the evidence of State witnesses which she characterised as "inconsistent and unreliable".

She said the court could not rely on "hearsay evidence."

In an interview after the ruling, their lawyer Bonwell Balamanja of Hlabano Law Chambers, said justice had prevailed.

"As we said before, this was a case of political persecution against my clients but we are glad that justice has prevailed," he said.

The State had alleged that on March 24 at around 4pm,  Violet Gondo was at her home in Mkoba 2 in Gweru when the accused persons arrived in an unmarked Ford Ranger vehicle.

It was alleged the trio was playing campaign songs for CCC Mkoba legislator Amos Chibaya when it stopped at Gondo's house and threw fliers into the yard.

Helen Khosa prosecuted.