MDC-T councillor for Ward 23 in Insiza North, Nivas Dube, was arrested at the weekend for allegedly “holding a policeman by the collar” in an argument over the distribution of maize in Shangani.
Dube’s lawyer, Lizwe Jamela of Zimbabwe Lawyers for Human Rights, confirmed the arrest yesterday.
“He was being charged for undermining the authority of the police after being accused of holding a policeman by the collar in Shangani over the weekend at a maize distribution programme in his ward,” Jamela said.
He said Dube, however, claimed the police were the ones who assaulted him after he queried why the maize was being distributed without his knowledge since he had the list of intended beneficiaries.
“They brought him to the Bulawayo Magistrates’ Court on Tuesday, but the State refused to prosecute him and advised that the police should proceed by way of summons. The police were also ordered to conduct further investigations in the matter because of discrepancies,” Jamela said.
His release came a day after a Gwanda area public prosecutor Blessing Gundani refused to prosecute four MDC-T activists who were arrested at the party’s Gwanda offices on Saturday over allegations of holding an unsanctioned meeting.
Clarince Madhuku, Sally Mlambo, MDC–T structure and database co-ordinator based in Harare Godfrey Koster and the party’s Gwanda North district chairman Limukani Nyoni were arrested and detained while conducting a workshop for party members.
