CiZC Leader Mahiya Appears in Court, Remanded in Custody for Plotting to Overthrow Mnangagwa’s Govt

CRISIS in Zimbabwe Coalition (CiZC) Board Chairperson and Heal Zimbabwe Trust (HZT) Director Rashid Mahiya on Tuesday 26 February 2019 appeared at Harare Magistrates Court to answer to charges of plotting to topple President Emmerson Mnangagwa’s government from power.

Mahiya, who is represented by Tonderai Bhatasara of Zimbabwe Lawyers for Human Rights, was charged with subverting a constitutional government as defined in section 22(2)(a)(i) of the Criminal Law (Codification and Reform) Act.

According to the State, Mahiya allegedly connived with some unidentified accomplices who are reportedly on the run and convened a meeting at Wild Geese Conference Centre in Pomona suburb in Harare for members of CiZC and HZT between 3 December 2018 to 6 December 2018.

During the meeting, prosecutors alleged that Mahiya incited participants including some from Interpeace, a peacebuilding organisation headquartered in Switzerland, and the general populace of Zimbabwe, to subvert a constitutional government by urging all Zimbabweans to engage in acts of civil disobedience, passive resistance to law, public violence, hooliganism and rampant looting across the country.

Prosecutors claimed that as a result of Mahiya’s undisclosed utterances during the meeting held at Wild Geese Conference Centre and also those of his unidentified accomplices, members of the public engaged in acts of violence, wanton destruction of both government and private property and carried out rampant looting from shops across the country from Monday 14 January 2019 up to Wednesday 16 January 2019 during an anti-government protest.

Mahiya returns to court on Tuesday 12 March 2019 after Harare Magistrate Rumbidzai Mugwagwa remanded him in custody and advised him to apply for bail at the High Court.

Source: Zimbabwe Lawyers for Human Rights

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