ZIMBABWEAN authorities on Tuesday 28 July 2020 arrested a 32 year-old man and charged him with criminal nuisance and incitement after he allegedly denigrated President Emmerson Mnangagwa on Twitter.
Source: Zim authorities make another twitter-related arrest – The Zimbabwean
Zimbabwe Republic Police members on Tuesday 28 July 2020 arrested
George Makonzo who resides in Mwenezi in Masvingo province and charged
him with incitement as defined in section 187(1) of the Criminal Law
(Codification and Reform) Act alternatively criminal nuisance as
defined in section 46(2)(v) of the Criminal Law (Codification and
Reform) Act.
Prosecutors told Mwenezi Magistrate Honest Musiiwa when Makonzo
appeared in court on Wednesday 29 July 2020 that the 32 year-old man
used an unknown gadget to post some comments on Twitter on Friday 24
July 2020 saying; “It’s no longer business as usual for E.D, now the
whole world knows the true colours of a crocodile we are dealing
with.”
Makonzo also reportedly tweeted that; “Hopewell will be remembered for
the great job he is doing while those corrupt ones trying to run but
they will have nowhere to run to. That day will come.”
The prosecutors charged that by allegedly posting the tweets Makonzo,
who was represented by Collen Maboke of Zimbabwe Lawyers for Human
Rights, intended to cause nuisance and disrupt peace and to
demonstrate against President Mnangagwa’s government.
On Thursday 30 July 2020, Magistrate Musiiwa set Makonzo free after
granting him RTGS$1 000 bail and ordering him to report at a local
police station once every fortnight until his matter is finalised.
Makonzo returns to court on 27 August 2020 for commencement of his
trial.
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