Political activist Jim Kunaka had the charge of incitement to cause public violence withdrawn by the State on Tuesday, citing a lack of evidence to support the case. Prosecutor Thomas Chanakira informed Harare magistrate Apollonia Marutya that the matter was being withdrawn before plea due to the State’s inability to sustain its allegations.
Kunaka had been accused of incitement to cause public violence, breach of peace or bigotry, as well as organizing an illegal public gathering. According to the State, between March 1 and July 30, 2020, Kunaka had allegedly shared a video clip on social media platforms, encouraging the public to participate in anti-government protests scheduled for July 31, 2020. However, the State’s case was unable to establish sufficient evidence to support these charges.
As a result, the charge against Kunaka of incitement to cause public violence was dropped. The withdrawal of the charge indicates that the State could not present compelling evidence to substantiate their claims.
