On Monday, Harare magistrate Josephine Sande, dismissed a case in which the State wanted to prosecute Zimbabwe Activists Alliance leader Lynette Mudewe and three pro-democracy youths for, “planning to demonstrate” against Vice President Phelekezela Mphoko’s stay at Harare’s Rainbow Towers Hotel.
Mphoko and his family lived at the hotel for about a year, ignoring criticism by the opposition and demonstrations by anti-government activists. Mudewe, who was in the company of Dirk Frey, Alvin Takavada and Elvis Mugari, were on November 30, 2015, picked up by police officer outside the hotel and taken to Harare central police station where they were detained for 40 hours and later released without charge and told that the police would proceed with the case by a way of summons.
Upon their release the four filed a lawsuit against the police, demanding compensation of $17,000, for the 40 hours they endured in ZRP cells. However, as they were suing the police, the State charged them with criminal nuisance. Their lawyer David Hofisi took the summons to the courts where he argued that it was not proper for the State to summon them without stating the exact charges. The magistrate concurred with him and dismissed the case. Mudewe, said they were still proceeding with suing the police for their illegal detention.
More: NewZimbabwe.com
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