Three more protesters have been slapped with a four year jail term after being found guilty of participating in shutdown demonstrations that rocked the country last month.
The trio, Kinios Muchadubwa (21), Artwell Chaola (26) and Kudakwashe Chaola (26) were sent to prisons for three years effective with one year being suspended on conditions of good behavior.
According to prosecutor Netsai Mushayabasa, the group – acting in common purpose with accomplices still at large – committed the offences on January 16 this year.
They gathered at Mverechena Shopping Center in Domboshava at around 0800 hours armed with catapults, sticks, logs and boulders.
Court heard that they used boulders to barricade roads at the shopping center thereby blocking the free movement of traffic.
They were arrested by police officers who reacted to the incident.
According to the state, the group’s actions caused the closure of businesses at Mverechena Shopping Centre while a lot of buildings were destroyed with groceries looted.
Meanwhile, the another batch of six Harare men were last week sentenced to 5 years imprisonment each for perpetrating wanton violence and looting of shops during last month’s anti-government protests.
Simbarashe Nyamadzawo (22), Gilbert Jasimoni (34), Abisha Musakanda (24), George Tomu (26), and Danny Sere (27), all from Mabvuku, were sentenced by Harare magistrate Hosea Mujaya.
Officials from the Zimbabwe Congress of Trade Unions Peter Mutasa and Japhet Moyo as well as #ThisFlag founder Evan Mawarire have also been arrested on charges of subverting a constitutionally elected government and will be tried soon.
