THE trial of Chimanimani West MDC-T MP Lynette Karenyi, jointly charged with her district chairman for violating the Public Order and Security Act (Posa) after allegedly convening a political meeting without police clearance has taken a new twist.
OBEY MANAYITI
The legislator told the court on Monday the gathering was merely a charity meeting.
According to the laws of the country, a charity meeting does not need police clearance.
Karenyi (37), also MDC-T Women’s Assembly organising secretary and Freddy Dziwande (38) are jointly charged under Section 25 (5) of Posa, Chapter 11,17.
On Monday, ZRP Nyanyadzi Officer in Charge Aribeto Mbuwa, testified after the two pleaded not guilty to the charge.
Charges against the two are that on November 24 this year at Zimunda village in Chief Muusha in Chimanimani, they both unlawfully and intentionally held an unsanctioned political meeting.
In her defence, Karenyi said the meeting had been organised to arrange payment for workers who had repaired a crèche that had been damaged by rains.
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“The meeting is one of those exempted under Posa. It was a gathering for charitable purposes where Karenyi was paying people who repaired a crèche that was damaged by rains and there was no need to tell the police,” her lawyer Blessing Nyamaropa said.
It was also revealed that Karenyi’s co-accused was not in attendance at the meeting in question, but was only arrested by police on the basis that she previously organised MDC-T meetings in the area. The trial continues tomorrow.
