A HARARE-BASED police officer appeared in court on Saturday facing allegations of undermining the authority of the President after he allegedly said President Emmerson Mnangagwa was a “used condom”.
BY DESMOND CHINGARANDE
Shungudzemoyo Kache (35), who was represented by human rights lawyer Jeremiah Bhamu, was charged under section 33 of the Criminal Law (Codification and Reform) Act which forbids “making any statement about or concerning the President or an acting President with the knowledge or realising that there is a real risk or possibility that the statement is false and that it may engender feelings of hostility towards; or cause hatred, contempt or ridicule of the President or an acting President, whether in person or in respect of the President’s office”.
Bhamu told magistrate Bianca Makwande that Kache was initially taken to Zanu PF headquarters and subjected to inhumane treatment before he was brought to court.
Kache on Thursday last week allegedly confronted Stanley Kufa Mabhachi, who was wearing a striped scarf similar to the one worn by Mnangagwa, and said the Zanu PF leader was “a used condom” and that he (Kache) was “president of Jews”.
Mabhachi then took him to Zanu PF headquarters where Kache allegedly repeated his remarks and was assaulted before being handed over to the police.
Kache alleged that he was assaulted by the police and members of the Central Intelligence Organisation (CIO) at the Harare Central Police Station.
Bhamu challenged the State to investigate the brutality and also challenged the private prosecution of a peace officer, saying the Constitution does not allow a private citizen arrest of a peace officer accused of an offence that attracts a sentence of less than six months.
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Bhamu said Kache was overdetained after being arrested at around 12pm on Thursday only to be taken to court on Saturday at around 4pm.
The human rights lawyer said Kache was denied food during detention. He further complained that the holding cells were not disinfected against COVID-19.
However, prosecutor Clement Chimbari told the court that he would investigate the abuses and bring the report to court.
Chimbari said Kache was a mental patient and his wife had deposed an affidavit to that effect. He said the State wanted to send him for psychiatric examination before he could be placed on remand.
The State and defence then agreed that he be put on remand and on the next remand date the defence would challenge his placement on remand.
Makwande remanded him to June 22 on $300 bail.
