Police arrest 6 bond note protesters

ZIMBABWE Republic Police (ZRP) officers have arrested six people including a teenager for allegedly taking part in a demonstration held in Harare to protest against the introduction of bond notes.

ZRP officers arrested six people including Pfungwa Gunda, Costa Zvokusekwa and a 15 year-old minor and charged them with inciting public violence.

The ZRP officers claimed that the six, who are represented by Jeremiah Bamu of Zimbabwe Lawyers for Human Rights (ZLHR) went on a rampage throwing stones at people standing in bank queues and telling them not to withdraw bond notes, which banks started dispensing on Monday 28 November 2016.

Meanwhile, Harare Magistrate Vongai Guwuriro will on Thursday 01 December 2016 hand down her ruling on an application challenging the legality of the arrest of three pro-democracy campaigners namely Promise Mkwananzi, Mehluli Dube and Kudakwashe Manjonjo.

Mkwananzi, Dube and Manjonjo were arrested on Monday 28 November 2016 in Harare by ZRP officers for allegedly participating in a a gathering with intent to promote public violence, breaches of the peace or bigotry as defined in Section 37 of the Criminal Law (Codification and Reform) Act Chapter 9:23 or alternatively criminal nuisance as defined in Section 46 as read with Section 2 (f) to the Third Schedule of the Criminal Law (Codification and Reform) Act Chapter 9:23.

In the application, Mkwananzi, Dube and Manjonjo, who are represented by Obey Shava and Webster Jiti of ZLHR, raised two preliminary issues regarding the violation of their constitutional rights which pertains to breaches to their right to be informed of the charge at the time of arrest and the right to legal representation….

Source: Bulawayo24