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Yeukai Karengezeka
FORMER Citizens Coalition for Change (CCC) legislators Amos Chibaya and Costa Machingauta, along with three others, were convicted on Friday for participating in an unlawful gathering.
The ruling was delivered by magistrate Mrs Sharon Rakafa.
However, 20 other accused individuals were acquitted after the court determined they had been arrested while merely walking along a road in Budiriro during the incident in 2023.
Magistrate Rakafa ruled that these individuals were victims of a dragnet arrest, and the State failed to prove their involvement in the CCC gathering.
Those convicted — Chibaya, Machingauta, Monica Mukwada, Aletta Viremai and Lancelot Tungwarara — were found guilty based on evidence that they were wearing CCC regalia and actively mobilising people to join the gathering.
The five were remanded out of custody and will return to court on Monday for sentencing.
According to the State, on January 14, 2023, a total of 25 individuals, including those later acquitted, were invited to a CCC meeting at Machingauta’s residence in Budiriro 5B, Harare.
The invitation was reportedly shared on social media by Tungwarara.
The five convicted individuals were seen wearing CCC-branded caps, helmets and T-shirts at the gathering.
They allegedly chanted party slogans.
Police in Budiriro received a tip-off about the meeting and went to investigate.
Upon arrival, they observed that the gathering was disturbing the peace.
When officers ordered the group to disperse, the attendees reportedly resisted, leading to their arrest.
Bongani Ndlovu
Online Reporter