Human tights defender Linda Masarira who was yesterday sentenced to 18 months in prison for inciting public violence, has vowed to appeal against both the conviction and the sentence. However, she will only do 385 hours of community service after the magistrate suspended 7 months on condition that she does not commit a similar crime in the next 5 years. The other 11 months were suspended on the condition that she performs 385 hours of community service at Malborough Clinic.
Masarira’s attorney Kudzayi Kadzere of the Zimbabwe Lawyers for Human Rights said they were going to appeal at the High Court because the state had failed to prove its case beyond a reasonable doubt.
Said Kadzere:
We are definitely going to appeal against both the conviction and the sentence.
The State failed dismally to prove its case beyond reasonable doubt and we have no doubt that an appeal court will set aside this conviction.
We will certainly file our appeal in few coming days with the High Court in Harare.
More: New Zimbabwe
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