via Mtetwa acquitted | The Herald November 27, 2013
Harare lawyer Beatrice Mtetwa, who was accused of blocking the police from arresting four MDC-T officials, has been acquitted.
Mtetwa had denied the charges of obstructing the course of justice levelled against her when her trial opened before Harare magistrate Ms Rumbidzai Mugwagwa.
She was cleared after the prosecution failed to prove a case against her.
Ms Mugwagwa cleared Mtetwa of the charges at the close of the State’s case, saying the evidence produced in court did not constitute an offence.
“From the foregoing, there is no evidence that the accused obstructed the course of justice and there is no reason to place here on her defence,” she said. “As such, she is discharged at the close of the State’s case.”
Mtetwa had made an application for discharge at the close of the State’s case, arguing that the State had failed to prove a case against her, hence she had no case to answer.
Mtetwa was arrested in March after it was alleged that she told police officers to stop rummaging through Thabani Mpofu’s house who was an official in the former PM’s office.
The State had alleged that Mtetwa was acting in a violent and disorderly manner.
The State was accusing her of shouting that: “Stop whatever you are doing, it is unconstitutional, illegal and undemocratic”.
Mtetwa was alleged to have threatened to send pictures and video footage of the police she had taken with her mobile phone to the international media.
COMMENTS