Claude Mputaili

JUST IN: RESIDENT ACQUITTED AFTER PERSECUTION FOR CRITICISING CALLOUS DEMOLITION OF VENDORS STALLS A ZIMBABWEAN court has acquitted a Chiredzi man, who had been on trial for allegedly criticising President Emmerson Mnangagwa as inconsiderate to the suffering of the majority of people in Zimbabwe following a government-backed demolition of vending stalls for informal traders. 32 year-old Nelton Matanhuse, a resident of Chiredzi, who was out of prison custody on bail, had been on trial since 12 October 2026 after he was arrested on 23 June 2026 by Zimbabwe Republic Police (ZRP) officers, who charged him with incitement to commit public violence as defined in section 187(1)(b) of the Criminal Law (Codification and Reform) Act as read with section 36(1)(a) of Criminal Law (Codification and Reform) Act. During trial at Chiredzi Magistrates Court, which was presided over by Resident Magistrate Lean Chinzou, Moreblessing Rusere, a prosecutor with the National Prosecuting Authority, alleged that Matanhuse, who is unemployed, allegedly criticised the demolition of vending stalls in the sugarcane growing town of Chiredzi in Masvingo province by some officials from Chiredzi Town Council and also reportedly made some unpalatable remarks to the effect that President Mnangagwa and one Chivhayo were indifferent to the suffering of people in Zimbabwe. Rusere claimed that Matanhuse’s alleged utterances were made at a bus terminus, where officials from Chiredzi Town Council were destroying some vending stalls, which had been reportedly erected by some vendors. However, on 23 October 2026, Magistrate Chinzou acquitted Matanhuse, who was represented by Martin Mureri of Zimbabwe Lawyers for Human Rights, and pronounced him as not guilty after ruling that the State had failed to prove its case beyond reasonable doubt, which would sway the court to convict the Chiredzi resident. #ZLHR30YearsofImpactALifetimeofCommitment