Jacob Ngarivhume
ZIMBABWEAN police on Monday 20 July 2020 arrested journalist Hopewell
Chin’ono and opposition Transform Zimbabwe party leader Jacob
Ngarivhume for allegedly inciting people to revolt against President
Emmerson Mnangagwa’s administration during some planned
anti-government protests called for at the end of the month.
Chin’ono was arrested by some armed Zimbabwe Republic Police (ZRP)
members at his residence in Chisipite suburb in Harare, who raided and
forcibly gained entry into his home.
ZRP members charged Chin’ono with incitement to participate in a
gathering with intent to promote public violence, breaches of peace or
bigotry as defined in section 187(1)(a) of the Criminal Law
(Codification and Reform) Act as read with section 37(1)(a)(i) of the
Criminal Law (Codification and Reform) Act.
ZRP members also pressed alternative charges of incitement to commit
public violence as defined in section 187(1)(a) as read with section
36(1)(a) of the Criminal Law (Codification and Reform) Act.
The law enforcement agents alleged that Chin’ono, who is represented
by Beatrice Mtetwa, Gift Mtisi and Douglas Coltart of Zimbabwe Lawyers
for Human Rights (ZLHR), allegedly posted various messages on his
Twitter account using the handle @daddyhope between May 2020 and July
2020 calling upon Zimbabweans across the country to engage in acts of
public violence against the government on 31 July 2020.
The journalist allegedly posted several messages on Twitter which
read; “@Ngarivhume and many others have come to put their hands up and
said they will lead anti-looting demo on 31 July”, “Zimbabwe will
never be free from looters through elections it is just a waste of
time” and “If you feel like shouting#zanuPFMustGo and Mnangagwa and
his regime has failed, how they will go will be determined by history
and yet Mnangagwa refuses change will come by any means.”
ZRP members alleged that by posting such messages Chin’ono intended to
disturb the peace, security or order of the public.
The law enforcement agents also raided Chin’ono’s residence late on
Monday evening, where by the time of publishing this alert they were
searching his office for some gadgets including laptops and mobile
phone handsets.
ZRP members also arrested Ngarivhume, who is represented by Moses
Nkomo of ZLHR, on charges of inciting Zimbabweans to revolt against
President Mnangagwa.
Ngarivhume and Chin’ono are expected to appear in court.