BY HARRIET CHIKANDIWA The High Court has thrown out charges of incitement to commit public violence through posting tweets against Journalist Hopewell Chin’ono.
Chinono was arrested last year with the State alleging that his tweets ahead of planned demonstrations on July 31 were meant to incite public violence.
ZLHR BREAKING NEWS: We have just scored big at High Court where Justice Musithu has declared the prosecution of freelance journalist @daddyhope on charges of incitement to commit public violence through posting tweets denouncing looting & corruption in 2020 a nullity. pic.twitter.com/qudJhJB9rq
— ZLHR (@ZLHRLawyers) December 6, 2021
Justice Siyabonga Musithu acquitted Chin’ono after he filed an application for review of his application for exception which was previously dismissed by magistrate Vongai Muchuchuti Guwuriro.
The High Court of Zimbabwean has dismissed the charges against me for Incitement to Public Violence.
It means my arrest was & my case were trumped up as I have always argued!
Keep Reading
- Chamisa under fire over US$120K donation
- Mavhunga puts DeMbare into Chibuku quarterfinals
- Pension funds bet on Cabora Bassa oilfields
- Councils defy govt fire tender directive
I spent the past 15 months in jails and courts for something that I didn’t do!It was cruel and tragic! pic.twitter.com/VBvKHgNKL7
— Hopewell Chin’ono (@daddyhope) December 6, 2021
In his ruling, Masithu set aside the review by Guwuriro and ruled that Chin’ono be found not guilty and be disqualified from further participation on criminal prosecution.
“The Respondent’s (Guwuriro) ruling dated 28th May, 2021 under CRB ACC77/20 is reviewed and hereby set aside and replaced with the following order: That the exception succeeds and the is accused is found not guilty on the main and alternative charges and is discharged. Respondent be and is hereby disqualified from further participation in the criminal prosecution of the Applicant who shall be tried by a different magistrate,” Musithu ruled.