By Tarisai Machakaire
Activist clergyman Phillip Mugadza has told the court that he was not wearing a real Zimbabwe flag but a counterfeit when he was arrested for allegedly wearing the country’s national banner without first seeking permission from the authorities.
Mugadza appeared before Harare magistrate Lazini Ncube yesterday charged with contravening Section 6 of the Flag of Zimbabwe Act which prohibits possessing or wearing the flag in a manner likely to put it into disrepute.
He was represented by Gift Mtisi and Obey Shava who said the cleric was expressing his constitutional right.
“When the accused person was arrested, he was acting on God’s instructions to pray for the development of his country.
“Would you dispute that at the material time he had actually received a message from God pertaining this nation?” Shava asked the investigating officer Oxwell Hove during cross examination.
Shava further argued that Mugadza was arrested wearing “a piece of cloth” that was not the national flag.
“It resembles the national flag, it is similar and I had the impression that he was wearing the flag of Zimbabwe,” Hove said during cross examination.
This was after Shava had demonstrated that the alleged flag was nothing close to Zimbabwe’s flag.
“Do you appreciate the difference between the original and counterfeit flag? Where did you get the guts of picking a piece of cloth and label it the Zimbabwe flag?
“Does the national flag have green material on the white patch like the one which my client allegedly wore?” Shava asked.
Hove maintained that Mugadza’s conduct was consistent with bringing the national flag into disrepute.
The matter was postponed to March 1 for trial continuation.
Prosecutor Oscar Madhume alleged that on November 18 last year members of the Police Reaction Group spotted Mugadza at corner Second Street and Nelson Mandela Avenue wearing a Zimbabwe flag around his neck.
The court heard that Mugadza also wore a white helmet inscribed “Enough is enough” and allegedly showed disrespect.
Mugadza was immediately arrested and the flag and helmet have been produced in court as exhibits.
The Remnant Pentecostal Church leader is also facing charges of insulting President Robert Mugabe after he allegedly prophesied that the nonagenarian leader would die this year.
He will also appear in court today on a separate charge of criminal nuisance after he chained and padlocked himself on some fencing rails at Africa Unity Square in Harare in protest against Mugabe’s government. Daily News
