via Pastor arrested for telling Bob of anguish – NewZimbabwe 15/12/2015
A PASTOR from a Pentecostal church in Kariba on Tuesday appeared in court charged with criminal nuisance after he allegedly carried placards at the just ended Zanu PF conference denouncing President Robert Mugabe.
Patrick Mugadza, 45, travelled all the way from Kariba to Victoria Falls on Friday to stage a demonstration against the Zanu PF leadership.
He carried a placard written “Mr President the people are suffering, Proverbs 21:13” as he moved around the streets of Victoria Falls.
The state alleges that Mugadza’s conduct disturbed and blocked people thereby disturbing peace.
Mugadza is a pastor at a church called Remnant Church.
Members of the public tipped cops who arrested Mugadza on Friday.
He appeared before Victoria Falls magistrate Lindiwe Maphosa Tuesday charged with criminal nuisance.
The magistrate released Mugadza on $500 bail coupled with reporting conditions, once a week on Monday at the nearest police station in Kariba, not to interfere with witnesses and to reside at his address.
He returns to court on January 5, 2016.
Mugadza’s lawyer Thulani Nkala of Dube and Company argued that his client was being violated as what he did was his constitutional right.
“It’s the accused’ submission that there was no offence as he was merely exercising his constitutional right which is enshrined in the constitution,” said Nkala as he applied for refusal of remand.
“Everyone has the right to demonstrate and present a petition. He was merely carrying a placard with no violence and didn’t even force members of the public to join him.
“It is on this basis that we apply that the accused should not be placed on remand as it is folly to allege that demonstrations are a nuisance because they are provided for in the constitution. My client wouldn’t have come all the way from Kariba to be a nuisance.”
The magistrate dismissed the application, saying as much as it is a constitutional right to demonstrate, that right must not be seen to infringe on other people’s rights.
Prosecuting, Listen Nare said on Friday at 4PM opposite Bata Building in Victoria Fallsm, Mugadza walked along the street carrying a placard thereby disturbing the movement of people who were going to the Zanu PF conference.
This comes after a Zanu PF MP Justice Mayor Wadyajena was charged for making ‘insulting remarks’ about First Lady Grace Mugabe.
More than 100 people have been arrested for denigrating Mugabe in the past decade.
COMMENTS
I believe that this case is a perfect example of the dreadful state of the Rule of Law in Zimbabwe. Believe it or not but the Zimbabwean Constitution does allow citizens to protest peacefully about any wrongs that they are concerned about.
But first of all, I think it best to tell what guidance Proverbs 21:13 gives us. It reads, “If a man shuts his ears to the cry of the poor, he too will cry out and not be answered.”
How can it ever be believed that a man carrying a placard simply saying, “Mr President the people are suffering, Proverbs 21:13” be charged with “Criminal Nuisance” in that he was “disturbing the movement of people”. I think that the only thing that was disturbed on this occasion was the conscience of the party faithful trudging to the ZANU PF conference.
It then beggars belief that we Zimbabweans have allowed ourselves to be bullied into complete silence and acceptance of all the many wicked and criminal acts of Robert Mugabe and his cohorts.
Then let us hope that Magistrate Ms. Lindiwe Maphosa and Prosecutor Mr.Listen Nare will have time to reflect on the wicked system that they have allowed themselves to be part of.
Certainly, they, along with ZANU PF, will one day be left “crying out and not answered”.
Perhaps in closing I should quote Galatians 6:7 from the Good Book as a warning to these people, “Be not deceived; God is not mocked: for whatsoever a man sows, that shall he also reap”.
It’s totally pathetic, and the most pathetic thing about it is that most Zimbabweans are not even angered or disturbed by this sort of asinine state oppression. They just grin and bear it, so they are reaping what they’ve sown
Manda yakabhata gole!! LOWOSWIKA!!!!
Pastor Patrick Mugadza – may your voice be lifted up and your example followed by many.
the wicked rule in our land and are ashamed of their unrighteousness before God.
they wish to carry out their abuses hidden from light.
that is why they are persecuting Mugadza, who is a hero.
Lindiwe Maphosa and Listen Nare are just Zanu pf stooges.
This is just a confirmation that there is no equal rights in Zimbabwe.
This is unfortunate. Justice is around the corner. I hope it is served while hot and without mercy.
“Members of the public tipped cops who arrested Mugadza” what is wrong with us???? We sellout someone who is trying to help us.
People’s rights are trampled upon like they don’t exist.
How can ‘disturbing movement of people’ be a chargeable offence? Did the pastor block the road or he just held a placard?
But hats off to this pastor. If only we had a few more people like him Zimbabwe wouldn’t be the mess it is today.
I appreciate what you have demonstrated man of God against all odds as you demonstrated what you believe and stand for as opposed to the shameless men of cloth who went for a treat at the famous ‘mazowe crush’centre and after tasting the ‘yoghurt’ they forgot their borrowed faith and began to worship a mere mortal with a rotten reputation.