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Tendai Gukutikwa : Post Correspondent
TWO members of the Zimbabwe Activist Alliance who allegedly distributed flyers and called for a demonstration against Government in Mutare were last week arrested in the city centre.
The pair, Tendai Lynnette Mudehwe (35) and Tapuwa Chitambo (36), appeared in court last Friday, facing charges of publishing or communicating false statements prejudicial to the State.
The State through Mr Fletcher Karombe, said through publication and distribution of the flyers as well as calling for a demonstration against Government, the duo incited and promoted public unrest and violence, thereby endangering the safety of Zimbabweans, particularly Mutare residents.
Presiding over the matter was senior Mutare magistrate, Mrs Sekai Chiundura.
Mutare lawyer, Mr Passmore Nyakureba of Maunga, Maanda and Associates represented the pair.
Mr Nyakureba said his clients were denying the charges, arguing that they had not communicated any falsehood as the issues of political brutality and political violence had become the order of the day and dominating public debate.
They were granted $150 bail each after Mr Nyakureba had argued that they were not a danger to the society as the allegations that are being levelled against them are those of communicating falsehoods and not holding or conducting demonstrations.
Allegations were that on September 13, the pair tendered their police notification letter with Police Internal Security Intelligence (PISI) at Mutare Central, seeking for permission to carry out a demonstration against the State on Friday, September 16, 2016 from the Flyover to Meikles Park.
“After their application was accepted, Mudehwe and Chitambo started distributing flyers in the Central Business District.
“The flyers they distributed claimed that there was no rule of law in the country and accused Zimbabwe Republic Police of brutality. The flyers also encouraged people to come out in their numbers and toyi-toyi against the ruling Government on the streets,” said Mr Karombe.
The court further heard that political violence was past its due course in Zimbabwe, with Manicaland being one of the worst areas.
The pair was remanded to September 30, 2016 for trial.
Online Reporter