HARARE – Jailed opposition leader Jacob Ngarivhume was accused of stoning two police officers, leading to their injuries, a court heard on Wednesday.
The investigating officer in Ngarivhume’s disorderly conduct case, Victor Mukohwa, told a Harare court that the Transform Zimbabwe leader was seen stoning the officers during an incident that led to his arrest.
Ngarivhume is jointly charged with Kelvin Gonde. The two were among Citizens Coalition for Change (CCC) activists arrested on June 16 this year for allegedly participating in an unlawful gathering.
Mukohwa said the two were positively identified attacking the cops who arrested the group. “The two police officers Tashu and Chirambadare were medically examined,” he said, adding, “At the moment, I only have one medical affidavit and I’m yet to get more affidavits for the other officers who were injured during the process.”
Ngarivhume and Gonde were arrested earlier this month and have been in custody since then. The state says 30 witnesses, all police officers, are lined up to testify against the two.
The state intends to produce the police officers’ medical affidavits as evidence during the trial.
The bail hearing, presided over by magistrate Farai Gwatima, continues this Thursday.
Ngarivhume’s arrest and the allegations against him come amidst a backdrop of heightened political tension in Zimbabwe. The country has witnessed a crackdown on dissent, with several opposition activists and journalists facing charges of inciting violence or undermining the authority of the state.
Ngarivhume, a vocal critic of President Emmerson Mnangagwa’s government, has been a prominent figure in the opposition movement. He has been arrested and detained several times in recent years for his political activities.
In 2020, Ngarivhume was arrested and charged with inciting public violence after he called for protests against the government’s handling of the COVID-19 pandemic. He spent several months in prison before being granted bail.
Ngarivhume’s arrest and the allegations against him have been condemned by human rights groups, who have accused the government of using the justice system to silence its critics.
“The charges against Ngarivhume are politically motivated and designed to intimidate and silence him,” said Dewa Mavhinga, the Southern Africa director of Human Rights Watch. “The government is using the law to target its opponents and create a climate of fear.”
The case against Ngarivhume is being closely watched by both local and international observers. It is seen as a test of the government’s commitment to upholding the rule of law and protecting freedom of expression.
The allegations against Ngarivhume, if proven, could lead to a lengthy prison sentence. However, his supporters maintain that he is innocent and that the charges against him are politically motivated.
