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Police charge MDC leader with threatening to commit murder as magistrate acquits 12 Beitbridge residents
Zimbabwe Lawyers for Human Rights (ZLHR)
October 18, 2012

Police on Thursday 18 October 2012 charged Julius Magarangoma, the Movement for Democratic Change (MDC) party chairperson for Manicaland Province for allegedly threatening to commit murder, two years ago.

Detectives from the Law and Order Section at Mutare Central Police Station on Thursday 18 October 2012 charged Magarangoma with contravening Section 186 (1) (b) as read with Section 47 of the Criminal Law (Codification and Reform) Act. The police alleged that the MDC provincial chairperson, who reported to the police station in the company of his lawyer Blessing Nyamaropa of Zimbabwe Lawyers for Human Rights threatened to kill Mutizwa Mhondiwa for mobilizing and sending some people to destroy his homestead in Buhera.

The police said the incident took place on 1 October 2010 at Manyadza homestead, in Mhondiwa village under Chief Chitsunge in Buhera. Magarangoma was released after the police recorded a warned and cautioned statement and advising that they will proceed by way of summons if they intend to pursue the matter. Meanwhile, Beitbridge Magistrate Gwineth Drawo on Thursday 18 October 2012 acquitted 12 MDC officials, who had been on trial for contravening the Public Order and Security Act (POSA).

The MDC officials were arrested in February and charged with contravening Section 26 of POSA after they held an internal party meeting at some private premises in the border town of Beitbridge, which the police charged was "unauthorized". Magistrate Drawo acquitted the MDC officials after their lawyer, Lizwe Jamela of ZLHR applied for discharge at the close of the State case, which had been opposed by State prosecutor Jabulani Mberesi.

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