Bindura Magistrate Maria Musika has freed opposition Movement for Democratic Change (MDC) councillor Brian Kembo, who was being prosecuted for allegations of insulting the President, Emerson Mnangagwa.
Kembo, who was being represented by Idirashe Chikomba of Zimbabwe Lawyers for Human Rights, (ZLHR) has been on trial answering to charges of disorderly conduct for allegedly stating that President Mnangagwa is liable for causing the suffering that citizens are currently enduring and for authoring the country’s economic crisis.
Kembo faced arrest after Zanu PF politburo secretary for youth Pupurai Togarepi raised a complaint against Kembo.
Three days before Kembo’s arrest, Togarepi had said that the Zanu PF youths have now decided to stand up and defend their leadership, and not allow anybody to insult their President.
After Mnangagwa took over power form former president Robert Mugabe, quiet a number of people have since been arrested and faced prosecution for undermining the President in different ways.
Saymore Mashorokoto, a Bindura resident was on 11 October 2019 acquitted by a Bindura magistrate also for after being prosecuted for blaming President Mnangagwa for the country’s deteriorating political and economic situation.
Mashorokoto was arrested after publicly calling on Mnangagwa to hand over power to opposition MDC leader Nelson Chamisa.
In Lupane, another man and a police officer, Taison Hove (29) faced arrest for allegedly insulting President Mnangagwa, by imploring the Zanu PF leader to step down in favour of opposition MDC leader Nelson Chamisa.
Hove , who was arrested at Lupane Business Centre on January 3, is also alleged to have said the Zanu PF regalia was only fit for manual labourers, out there in the fields.
A 38-year old Rushinga man also stood before the court for insulting President Mnangagwa.
Morgan Muchemwa of Rushinga in Mashonaland Central Province, four months ago appeared before magistrate Tendai Chifamba at Mt Darwin Magistrates Court answering to charges of undermining authority or insulting the President as defined in section 33(2)(b) of the Criminal Law (Codification and Reform) Act.
