Source: Electoral saboteurs nabbed – Sunday News August 5, 2018
Peter Matika, Senior Reporter
THREE Bulawayo men last week appeared in court facing charges of contravening various sections of the electoral laws during the just ended harmonised elections.
Graig Mthulisi Malasa Moyo, Bothwell Musukutwa and Ketimutso Ndlovu all appeared in court last week facing charges related to misconduct that happened during the 30 July elections.
First to appear before Bulawayo magistrate Miss Gladmore Mushowe was Moyo, who is employed by the Ministry of Local Government, Public Works and National Housing as an office orderly in Bulawayo. He was charged with contravening Section 89 (1) (b) of the Electoral Act — disorderly conduct at a polling station and was fined $100.
Moyo, who resides in Nketa suburb and was attached to the Zimbabwe Electoral Commission (Zec) Bulawayo South Logistics and was based at Tshabalala Housing Office, committed the offence at around 9.55am on the day of the elections.
According to the State, Moyo arrived at Agape Polling Station, identified himself to polling officers and cast his vote, before going outside and ordering a group of women to queue in numbers of five before hinting to them to vote for a certain political party. It was then that the presiding officer at the polling station quickly interjected.
At that moment Moyo then shouted “angiphathanga lutho ezandleni (I am not holding anything in my hands)”.
Moyo was then arrested soon after he was interrogated about his behaviour.
The second to appear in court was Musukutwa from Morningside suburb who was charged with contravening Section 85 (1) (e) of the Electoral Act chapter 2; 13 — without due authority interfering with ballot papers.
Musukutwa who is employed by ZETDC, was spotted by polling officers at a polling station in Morningside, taking pictures of his ballot papers, while still in the voting booth as he was about to cast his vote.
Musukutwa was then arrested and ordered to pay a fine of $100.
The third person Ndlovu was charged with contravening Section 147 of the Electoral Act — chanting a slogan at a polling station.
Ndlovu is reported to have been heard chanting an MDC slogan 300 metres away from the polling station, after casting his vote. The polling station or neighbourhood was not mentioned.
He was remanded out of custody to 10 August this year. Mr Kudakwashe Jaravaza represented the State.
@peterkmatika
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