A 28 year-old Kariba man is set to stand trial next week after he was arrested and charged with undermining authority of or insulting President Emmerson Mnangagwa.
Zimbabwe Republic Police (ZRP) officers recently arrested Alexander Samuel Chidzedzere, who resides in the resort town of Kariba in Mashonaland West province and charged him with undermining authority or insulting President Mnangagwa as defined in Section 33(1)(a) of the Criminal Law (Codification and Reform) Act Chapter 9:23.
ZRP officers claimed that Chidzedzere insulted President Mnangagwa on 16 August 2018 at Nyamhunga Business Centre in Kariba, where he allegedly unlawfully and intentionally uttered an abusive, indecent and obscene statement concerning the ZANU PF party leader and alleged that the ruling ZANU PF party had won the 30 July harmonised elections through rigging.
ZRP officers charged that the statement allegedly uttered by Chidzedzere would engender feelings of hostility towards or cause hatred, contempt or ridicule of the ZANU PF party leader.
Chidzedzere, who, is represented by Unite Saizi of Zimbabwe Lawyers for Human Rights and whose trial was scheduled to commence on Wednesday 24 October 2018 at Kariba Magistrates Court, will now stand trial on Wednesday 31 October 2018 after his trial failed to kick off as ZRP officers did not serve witnesses with summons to attend court proceedings.
