Zimbabwe police make 2 fresh arrests over election rally blast

July 3, 2018
| Report Focus News
EDS NOTE GRAPHIC CONTENT Injured people lay on the ground following an explosion at a Zanu pf rally in Bulawayo, Saturday, June, 23, 2018. An explosion rocked a stadium where Zimbabwe's president was addressing a campaign rally on Saturday, with state media calling it an assassination attempt but saying he was not hurt and was evacuated from the scene. Witnesses said several people were injured, including a vice president. (AP Photo)

Two men who were arrested in connection with a blast last month at a political rally led by Zimbabwean President Emmerson Mnangagwa have been released, officials said Monday.

The two, named by police as Douglas Musekiwa and John Zulu, were arrested late last week – on suspicion of “insurgency, banditry, sabotage or terrorism” – but released Monday.

“I can confirm that two arrests were made in connection with [the] Bulawayo bomb blast and the suspects are currently helping the police with investigations,” police spokesperson Charity Charamba told dpa.

Police gave little detail about the two, but said they had to be released after spending the maximum amount of time detained without charge.

Mnangagwa said the blast, which killed two people and injured more than 40, was an attempt on his life, most likely by people linked to former president Robert Mugabe.

Mnangwaga replaced Mugabe – then one of Africa’s longest ruling leaders – last year after Mugabe was ousted in a military coup.