TWO Bulawayo women accused of peddling fake news on social
media platform WhatsApp by sharing a false Press statement bearing President
Mnangagwa’s signature announcing the extension of the lockdown period have been
arrested.
The statement purportedly issued by President Mnangagwa was
headlined: “Extension of lockdown period by 13 days only.”
Prisca Gumbo (44) of Mpopoma suburb and Renah Takudzwa
Muhambi (20) of Hillside suburb appeared in court yesterday facing charges of
publishing or communicating false statements prejudicial to the State as
defined in section 31 (a) (i) of the Criminal Law (Codification and Reform)
Act.
They were both remanded out of custody by Bulawayo
magistrate Mr Shepherd Mjanja.
Gumbo was released on $1 000 bail and ordered to report once
every fortnight at Western Commonage Police Station as part of the bail
condition.
She was also ordered to surrender her passport and to
continue residing at her given address until the matter is finalised.
Muhambi was granted $500 bail and ordered to report once
every two weeks at Hillside Police Station. She was also ordered not interfere
with State witnesses as well as continue residing at her given address.
In granting them bail, Mr Mjanja ruled that the State
failed to proffer compelling reasons warranting their continued detention
pending trial.
Through their lawyer, Mr Tinashe Runganga of Tanaka Law
Chambers, the two women said they were good candidates for bail. They argued
that the State failed to advance compelling grounds justifying their continued
detention.
The State, which was represented by Mr Carlington Dliwayo,
had opposed the bail application, arguing there was no guarantee that if
released, the two accused persons would not abscond due to the gravity of the
offence.
“The accused persons are wary of the fact that upon
conviction, they face up to 20 years in jail hence if released on bail they are
likely to abscond,” he said.
The investigating officer, Zibusiso Moyo said there was
likelihood the two accused persons would interfere with witnesses. He further
argued that the accused persons had the propensity to commit further crimes if
granted bail.
“Releasing the accused persons on bail is tantamount to
trivialising the offence and undermining the effects of Covid-19 through
spreading of fake news,” he said.
Mr Dliwayo said between April 7 and 10, Gumbo and Muhambi
allegedly published a false Press statement purporting to have been issued and
signed by the President.
The false statement with the President’s fake signature,
was extending the lockdown period by 13 days from April 20 to May 3, 2020.
“Accused persons then circulated the fake document on
different WhatsApp platforms using their cellphones. Gumbo used a Samsung JS1
with an Econet line while Muhambi used a Huawei with an Econet number to
forward the fake message,” said Mr Dliwayo
According to the State, President Mnangagwa did not
originate or sign the said fake statement.
Spreading fake news on social media and mainstream media
about coronavirus (Covid-19) has been categorised as a Level 14 offence, the
highest in the country and people convicted of the crime face up to 20 years in
jail.
Recently, President Mnangagwa warned peddlers of falsehoods
regarding coronavirus (Covid-19) issues saying they faced a 20-year jail term
if convicted.
He said this at his Precabe Farm in Sherwood, Kwekwe, after
returning from a tour of Mkoba and Senga suburbs in Gweru to assess residents’
levels of compliance to regulations of the previous 21-day lockdown.
The President dismissed as nonsensical, social media
reports then claiming that he had extended the initial lockdown when no such
decision had been made.
He then ordered an investigation into the origins of such
messages circulating on social media. Lovemore Zvokusekwa (36) of Chitungwiza,
the man who allegedly authored and circulated the fake statement was last week
granted $1 000 bail coupled with stringent conditions after spending 10 days in
remand prison.
The fake statement was circulated on social media platforms
nearly two weeks ago when the country was still in the initial 21-day lockdown
period. Chronicle
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