Ten activists from the MDC formation led by Welshman Ncube, who were facing charges of throwing their party’s campaign material at State House in Bulawayo, yesterday heaved a sigh of relief after they were acquitted and discharged by a local magistrate.
Tancy Dube-Chipumha ruled that the State failed to prove its case against the party activists and they should not be put on their defence.
Dube-Chipumha’s ruling came after the lawyer representing the activists, Matshobane Ncube, made an application for discharge at the close of the State case.
He said his clients should not be put on their defence as that would be tantamount to bolstering an otherwise weak State case.
However, State representative Jerry Mutsindikwa opposed the application.
Mandlenkosi Sibanda (18), Andrew Nyathi (32), Siamatende Dick Munsaka (50), Jackson Lunga (28), Clever Sibanda (18), Mthulisi Nkiwane (23), Sharlene Ndlovu (23), Lillian Moyo (26), Joseph Ndlovu (30) and a 17–year-old juvenile — had pleaded not guilty to being a criminal nuisance.
They were all out of custody on $20 bail each and yesterday they were free to retrieve their bail.
Charges against them were that on September 17 last year, at about 1:30pm, the 10, acting in common purpose, went to State House along Shollor Road in Saucerstown suburb.
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They allegedly threw some fliers with their party’s campaign messages through the fence into the State House yard.
However, they were allegedly spotted by soldiers who guard the place.
The soldiers allegedly summoned the activists, but they ran in different directions.
The soldiers allegedly gave chase and managed to apprehend the juvenile and Sibanda, who implicated others leading to their arrest.
