EIGHT people, including two Citizens for Coalition Change councillors, yesterday appeared before Gweru provincial magistrate Sam Chitumwa facing allegations of participating in an unsanctioned demonstration that was called by war veteran Blessed “Bombshell” Geza.
Among the eight arrested on Tuesday are two females and one of the women, Mitchell Nyathi (25), was remanded in custody at Shurugwi Female Prison along with her three-month-old baby.
It is alleged that the eight, councillor Phillion Mawere (51) of Gweru Urban, councillor Parerenyatwa Nyika (44) of Vungu, Victor Changa (43), Movern Vurayayi (27), Wellington Chirozva (35), Jamson Mugwisi (58), Sue Kombora (31) and Nyathi, all from Mkoba suburb, staged a demonstration and waved placards denouncing President Emmerson Mnangagwa.
The accused were remanded to April 7 for bail application.
Through their lawyers Esau Mandipa and Leopold Mudisi, the accused persons had earlier on made an application for refusal of remand, which was, however, dismissed by magistrate Chitumwa.
The State alleged that following Geza’s announcement of an “illegal” demonstration, Mawere and Nyika, being influential persons as councillors, allegedly planned and organised Mkoba residents to hold an illegal demonstration against Mnangagwa.
The court heard that the eight grouped themselves after which they waved placards and recorded three video clips as well as took photos of themselves denouncing and denigrating Mnangagwa.
The placards allegedly had various messages including, “ED must go”, “Zvigananda must go”, Dambudzo ibva nembavha dzako (Dambudzo leave office along with your thieves), Waba zvakwana urimbavha saka enda zvako ED (You have stolen enough so just go ED) and “Out with the old and in the new”.
