The 61 year-old Senator presented herself to the police on Thursday. Soon after the charges were read to her she was thrown into police cells. Her lawyer, Passmore Nyakureba, told SW Radio Africa the senator is now expected to appear in court on Friday.
Nyakureba said he found it strange that when police alerted him that they were looking for Chabuka, the charge they wanted to bring against her was that of assault.
‘That charge, including that of the other six, was altered to public violence. What the police are saying beggars belief. How can individuals from one particular party, having a meeting at their provincial offices, be found to be on the wrong side of the law.
‘In any case, we will have our day in court and we are going to prove otherwise, Nyakureba said. Police accuse the senator and the six others of assaulting the acting Mayor of Mutare George Jeryson last week Friday.
Jeryson is an MDC councillor who won his seat on a party ticket but is now suspected of working closely with ZANU PF Local Government Minister Ignatius Chombo.
Party spokesman for Manicaland, Pishai Muchauraya said their members are facing trumped-up charges which they strongly deny. He said the group believe it’s a political onslaught by ZANU PF functionaries to tarnish their names.
‘Senator Chabuka has been in and out of police custody several times on such trumped-up charges and we feel this kind of harassment and persecution is not necessary at a time everyone in the country is condemning the selective application of the law,’ Muchauraya said. SW Radio Africa
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