Zimbabwean authorities have charged an opposition legislator withpublic violence which allegedly happened early this year during an anti-government protest held in January to demonstrate against the unilateral hike in fuel price.
Zimbabwe Republic Police officers last week summoned Hon. Allan Norman Markham, the legislator for Harare North constituency to stand trial at Harare Magistrates Court on Monday 28 October 2019 on charges of public violence as defined in Section 36 of the Criminal Law
(Codification and Reform) Act.
The State claims that Hon. Markham disturbed the peace, security or order of the public when he on 14 January 2019 together with some unknown people drove his vehicle to Dust Hatcliffe market in Hatcliffe high-density suburb, where he allegedly addressed some people in Shona stating that; “Yava nguva yedu yekudzorera mapurisa nemasoja arikunyanya kutirova,” which was translated to mean; “It’s now our time to revenge police and soldiers who are beating us.”
The State charges that Hon. Markham, who is represented by Obey Shava of Zimbabwe Lawyers for Human Rights left the marketplace, where some unknown people burnt some flammable materials and the legislator was seen by one Ketai Mashuta burning a carpark in Hatcliffe suburb before fleeing.
On Monday 28 October 2019, Hon. Markham’s matter was postponed to12 November 2019, where his trial is expected to commence.
