Source: Man convicted over ‘Chigumba tweet’ – DailyNews Live
Caroline Chiimba 4 October 2018
HARARE – Government yesterday fired warning shots against social media
abuse when a Harare magistrate convicted a local man on criminal insult
charge for retweeting a message besmirching the Zimbabwe Electoral
Commission (Zec) chairperson Priscilla Chigumba in the aftermath of the
hotly-contested July 30 elections.
Night Tawona Shadaya, 25, appeared before Harare magistrate Rumbidzayi
Mugwagwa yesterday on allegations of breaching section 95 of the Criminal
Law (Codification and Reform Act).
Sentencing is expected today.
Shadaya told the court that he was intoxicated when he committed the
offence and pleaded for Mugwagwa’s lenience.
“I didn’t mean to cause harm, I was tipsy when I retweeted the message and
only realised the following day the mistake I did.
“I immediately took down the tweet to correct my mistake. I even
apologised on all social media platforms and also on a local radio station
in an interview,’ he told the court.
The 25-year-old had argued that he was not in his right senses when he
committed the offence, and that it was not intentional.
He pleaded for the court’s lenience saying he was not employed and lived
off his mother.
Mugwagwa inquired how much alcohol Shadaya had taken which made him “lose”
his senses.
Shadaya said he had taken three quarts of black label larger.
“So, you mean that you took only three quarts of black label and lost your
senses?” questioned Mugwagwa.
“lt’s usually two,” answered Shadaya.
The bogus tweet which was circulated by Shadaya purported to be from
Chigumba’s account read: “I can’t wait for the election fiasco to come to
an end. I could do with a holiday and some good sex. My body needs a
break.”
Shadaya popularly known for Whatsapp memes got arrested following a report
to the police by Chigumba who said she did not own a twitter account.
On July 30, millions of Zimbabweans cast their votes to elect a new
president and Parliament but the national harmonised elections were marred
by allegations of ballot cheating which led to a heavily contested outcome
by the opposition.
Chigumba was subjected to social media abuse and harassment by people who
accused Zec of bias towards Zanu PF and President Emmerson Mnangagwa in
the run up to the July 30 vote.
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