Man charged for insulting Mnangagwa

By Tarisai Machakaire

A Harare man was dragged to court on Saturday after reportedly shouting unprintable words to the effect that President Emmerson Mnangagwa was incapable of running Zimbabwe.

Norman Machipisa, 29, appeared before Harare magistrate Learnmore Mapiye charged with contravening section 41(b) of the Criminal Law (Codification and Reform Act) for disorderly conduct.

He was released on $20 bail and ordered not to interfere with witnesses and continue residing at his current address until the case is finalised.

He was remanded to October 11.

The informant in this case is Donaldson Chikotera of Mabelreign in Harare.

Machipisa is a vendor who operates from Corner Second Street and Kwame Nkrumah Avenue in Harare.

Prosecutor Peter Kachirika alleged that on September 28 Chikotera was at Central Vehicle Registry when he heard the accused person shouting on top of his voice saying: “Mnangagwa im***a haagone kutonga nyika”, loosely translated to mean Mnangagwa has no capacity to rule the country.

This annoyed Chikotera who felt that Machipisa had behaved in disorderly conduct.

Chikotera apprehended Machipisa and dragged him to Harare Central Police Station and handed him over to police.

Machipisa was formally charged.

Previously, people who insulted the president and his office were charged under section 33 (2) (b) of the Criminal Law (Codification and Reform Act).

But this was contested on the basis that the section infringed on the right to freedom of expression.

As a result, the prosecution never managed to sustain a conviction for any of those cases which were normally dismissed by the Constitutional Court. DailyNews