FORMER Zanu PF Mashonaland Central provincial chairperson
Itai Dickson Mafios was yesterday convicted and sentenced to two years in jail
for inciting people in Bindura to join a wave of anti-government protests that
rocked the country two weeks ago.
Bindura provincial magistrate Vongai Guwuriro suspended 10
months of the sentence on condition of good behaviour.
Prosecutor Clement Kuwanda told the court that on January
15 this year, Mafios drove to Chiwaridzo Shopping Centre in Bindura and
approached a group of people who were sitting on a shop verandah and urged them
to join the violent protests.
Mafios was quoted as saying: “You are seated and not doing
what others are doing in Harare of burning things. Why? Go ahead with the
shutdown. (President Emmerson) Mnangagwa took the presidency by force using
soldiers.”
The former Zanu PF provincial boss, who was being
represented by Bindura lawyer Graciano Manyururei, had denied the charge,
citing political persecution.
In a related development, opposition MDC Alliance’s Mabvuku
councillor, Munyaradzi Kufahakutizwi, was yesterday acquitted of public
violence charges levelled against him by his Zanu PF rival, Munyaradzi
Nyamukondiwa, who lost the council seat to him during the 2018 harmonised
elections.
Harare magistrate Victoria Mashamba acquitted him for lack
of evidence. The State had alleged that on January 16, the MDC Alliance
councillor and his accomplices, who are still at large, barricaded corner Kariyana
Avenue and Manresa Way using boulders and stoned Nyamukondiwa’s car.
It was further alleged Kufahakutizwi was demanding $80 toll
fees from motorists passing through the barricade. Newsday
0 comments:
Post a Comment