Fadzai Mahere arrested as Zimbabwe govt targets opposition figures

Wilson Chipangura, Guest Reporter 

HARARE – MDC Alliance spokesperson Fadzai Mahere has become the latest opposition representative to be arrested by the police as government continues its brutal onslaught of perceived enemies.

Police arrested Advocate Mahere this morning and charged her with violating section 31 of the Criminal Code. 

Mahere was headhunted by members of the Criminal Investigation Department (C.I.D) Law and Order section at her house yesterday (Sunday) night but was not found. 

The outspoken young lawyer turned herself in to the C.I.D section at Harare Central Police station this morning accompanied by her lawyers from Zimbabwe Lawyers for Human Rights. 

Mahere joins party vice-chairperson Job Sikhala who was arrested on Saturday and charged with publishing falsehoods and promoting public violence. 

The same charges were also laid against journalist Hopewell Chin’ono for allegedly claiming on social media that a police officer had fatally assaulted a baby strapped to its mother’s back in Harare. 

Sikhala, a lawyer and parliamentarian, was detained outside the Rotten Row Magistrates’ Court after jointly representing Chin’ono, who had appeared briefly before a magistrate following his arrest on Friday. 

Section 31 of the Criminal Law (Codification and Reform) Act deals with “publishing or communicating false statements prejudicial to the State.” 

However, a number of legal experts and human rights defenders have argued the statute was struck down by the Constitutional Court in 2014 following a matter brought by two Zimbabwe Independent newspaper journalists. 

The Zimbabwe Lawyers for Human Rights (ZLHR), whose attorneys are representing Mahere, said she is also accused of “undermining public confidence in law enforcement agency.” 

Meanwhile, Sikhala and Chin’ono who remained in custody over the weekend are currently appearing in court today.