2 arrested for destroying Zanu-PF campaign posters

Published: 13 July 2018

Police here have arrested two men who allegedly destroyed campaign posters belonging to two Zanu-PF candidates who are vying for National Assembly seats in the July 30 harmonised elections.

Louis Makawi (23) of Bunda Village under Chief Nematombo and Peter Mashonga (age not given) of Mashonga Village under Chief Dandawa, appeared separately before senior Karoi Magistrate Mr Sam Chitumwa on Monday, charged with violating Section 152 (1) (3) of the Electoral Act Chapter 2:13, "Destruction of Political Posters".

Makawi was remanded in custody for plea recording, while Mashonga was remanded to July 16 after the magistrate ordered a mental examination. The pair allegedly destroyed posters belonging to Cecil Kashiri (Magunje) and Mary Mliswa (Hurungwe West) respectively.

Charges against Makawi arose on July 6 this year at around 0100 hours at Chisandure Bottle Store, Chiware Business Centre when he was apprehended by villagers while tearing Kashiri's poster, which was pasted on the wall of the bottle store. He is also alleged to have said Kashiri's poster was useless and of no value to him. The villagers handed him over to Magunje Police.

In the case against Mashonga, Mliswa campaign driver Munyaradzi Oshipeya, who was in the company of Rosemary Goteka, were putting up the former's campaign posters in the area.

As they were driving back to Chiroti Primary School in Hurungwe West, they found some of the posters torn and discovered Mashonga sitting under a tree , putting the torn pieces into a plastic bag.

They then took him to Magunje Police Station. When asked in court what he wanted to do with the torn pieces of the posters, Mashonga told Magistrate Chitumwa that he wanted to take the pieces home and study them. Mr Chitumwa then ordered that he be examined to determine his state of mind.

Mr Webster Dimingu prosecuted.
- the herald

Tags: Zanu-PF,