Zim police arrest opposition leader

via Zim police arrest opposition leader | The Zimbabwean 16 July 2014 by ZLHR

ONE of the country’s opposition leaders Jacob Chengedzani Satiya Ngarivhume has endured three nights in police detention after the Zimbabwe Republic Police (ZRP) charged him twice in less than one week with contravening some provisions of one of the country’s tough security laws.

Ngarivhume, the leader of Transform Zimbabwe party was on Tuesday 15 July 2014 spared from spending a fourth night in detention after he was released into the custody of his lawyer Tarisai Mutangi of Donsa-Nkomo and Mutangi Legal Practitioners, who is a member of Zimbabwe Lawyers for Human Rights (ZLHR).

His release came after he was interrogated by police at the Law and Order Section at Harare Central Police on Tuesday 15 July 2014, where he was charged with contravening Section 24 (6) of the Public Order and Security Act (POSA) Chapter 11:17 after he allegedly failed to notify the regulatory authority of a public gathering which was held in Harare’s Hatfied suburb on Thursday 10 July 2014.

Ngarivhume, who was first represented by Reginald Chidawanyika of Chitere Chidawanyika and Partners Legal Practitioners, who is a member of Zimbabwe lawyers for Human Rights (ZLHR), was first arrested in Gweru on Saturday 12 July 2014 and charged with contravening Section 24 (6) of (POSA after the police claimed that he had held a political meeting with his party supporters at Vashandiri Training Centre in Gweru without securing authority from them in contravention of Section 24 (6) of POSA.

In Gweru, Ngarivhume endured two nights before being brought to Gweru Magistrates Court on Monday 14 July 2014, where he was released after the Gweru Area Public Prosecutor Brian Muzemba indicated that the State would proceed by way of summons as the police needed to carry out other investigations in the matter.

Ngarivhume’s lawyer had contested that the meeting that the police were referring to was not a public gathering hence there was no need to notify them and had also protested that Section 24 (6) of POSA had been repealed.

However, as Ngarivhume left Gweru Magistrates Court he was immediately escorted back to Gweru Central Police Station’s Law and Order Section, where his lawyer Chidawanyika was advised that his client had been arrested again and had to be detained to facilitate his transfer to Harare where he was wanted on similar allegations.

The arrest condemned Ngarivhume to endure his third night in police detention in Gweru before he was escorted to Harare on Tuesday 15 July 2014 where he was once again charged with contravening Section 24 (6) of POSA.

As if that was not enough, police in Gweru also arrested 13 Transform Zimbabwe party supporters on Monday 14 July 2014 and charged them with contravening Section 37 (1) (a) of the Criminal Law (Codification and Reform) Act for participating in a gathering with intention to promote public violence.

The police who detained the Transform Zimbabwe party supporters at Gweru Central Police Station claimed that they had sung some religious songs while at Gweru Magistrates Court upon the release of their leader, Ngarivhume.

The 13 Transform Zimbabwe supporters who included Mike Muriyani, Victor Mazhindu, Saul Chengedzani, Mazando Sungai, Nicholas Magaya, Fungai Chara, Dereck Marijeki, Upward Mutendereki, Trust Gweme, Purity Gora and Nyashadzashe Moyo Ngarivhume were freed on Tuesday 15 July 2014 after they were granted $50 by Gweru Provincial Magistrate Pathekile Msipa. The 13 will return to court to stand trial on Wednesday 06 August 2014.