THE Zimbabwe Republic Police and Zimbabwe Electoral Commission (Zec) security officers who arrested MDC Alliance vice-president Morgen Komichi for allegedly taking to the podium during the announcement of the presidential results for the July 30 election were yesterday taken to task for ignoring a similar offence by a Zanu PF official.
BY DESMOND CHINGARANDE
The police officer, Dickson Siyakwimbi, who testified before magistrate Ruramai Chitumbura in the case where Komichi is accused of disrupting the announcement of the results, said Komichi was not supposed to go to the podium, as it was reserved for Zec officials only.
Komichi’s lawyer Obey Shava asked Siyakwimbi the number of people who went to the podium and were not Zec officials on the day in question.
The police officer named two, Komichi and MDC leader Nelson Chamisa’s spokesperson, Nkululeko Sibanda.
This was disputed by Shava, who asked the police officer if he had watched the video submitted in court as exhibit, to which the officer replied in the negative.
Shava asked Siyakwimbi about a woman who was caught on camera on the podium at the same time Komichi is alleged to have addressed the guests.
“Your Worship, I am sorry. Yes, there was a woman from Zanu PF who also used the podium to shout at Komichi who was disturbing the announcement of the results,” Siyakwimbi said.
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Shava said Siyakwimbi was not an impartial police officer and pretended not to notice a Zanu PF member breaking the law because he hated MDC Alliance members.
Siyakwimbi also contradicted himself when he told court that he was not in the same room when Komichi committed the offence, but later changed his version under cross-examination.
The witness also told the court that Komichi committed the offence at around 9pm, contradicting his initial statement to the police that the incident happened towards midnight.
Zec security officer Concree Chivinda also contradicted the video footage submitted in court after he told court that Komichi came in the room which was being used to announce the presidential results accompanied by his lawyer and went straight to the podium.
The footage of the video shows Komichi sitting in the room before he walked to the podium with Sibanda, where he started addressing the guests.
Chivinda said he did not see a Zanu PF woman addressing the guests at the podium, but only heard voices asking Komichi not to address them.
He also contradicted his fellow witnesses when he told the court that Komichi committed the offence at around 10:45pm.
Zimbabwe Broadcasting Corporation’s Phineas Gutu also testified and said he was not in the same room with Komichi as he was controlling the production of the live broadcast in the outside broadcasting van.
Chitumbura postponed the matter to November 15. Michael Reza and Tafadzwanashe Mupariwa appeared for the State.
