Source: ZimPF activist’s Mugabe slur charge altered – NewsDay Zimbabwe July 29, 2016
A 31-YEAR-OLD Zimbabwe People First (ZimPF) activist, who was facing a charge of undermining the authority of President Robert Mugabe, had the charge changed to one of criminal nuisance on Wednesday.
BY KENNETH NYANGANI
Clemence Marabada, of Harare, appeared before Mutare magistrate Sekai Chiundura and the matter was deferred to next Tuesday for trial.
According to the new charge, on July 14, Marabada and the complainant, who is not named in the State papers, boarded a commuter omnibus at Sakubva roundabout and the accused started distributing ZimPF flyers for a rally to be held on July 16 in Mutare.
It is alleged the complainant was incensed by the move and confronted Marabada, asking him to desist from distributing the flyers, saying not all passengers were sympathetic to his cause.
In turn, it is alleged, Marabada then denigrated the complainant and insulted him by denouncing the party he supported.
The complainant made a police report that resulted in Marabada being arrested.
Marabada’s lawyer, Simon Simango, said his client had spent two nights in police cells.
‘’My client was arrested on July 14, before he was released two days later, the day of the rally. He was facing a charge of undermining the authority of President Robert Mugabe,’’ he said.
Simango said the complainant had claimed his client said: “Who is Mugabe and what is Zanu PF?’’
The lawyer said, if indeed, his client uttered the words, there was no criminal offence, as it was a question that deserved to be answered.
“There is no basis at all, it’s just like charging a newspaper with a headline Zanu PF under siege,” he said.
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