Harare-MDC Alliance national spokesperson Advocate Fadzayi Mahere was Tuesday afternoon remanded in custody up to Friday at the Harare Magistrates’ Courts.
She is facing charges of peddling falsehoods after tweeting last week that a police officer had killed an infant at an illegal pickup point along Second Street in Harare’s Avenues area.
According to the Zimbabwe Lawyers for Human Rights (ZLHR) will spend the next three days in prison after Harare magistrate said she will investigate complaints raised by Mahere.
“Advocate Mahere will spend 3 days in prison custody to Friday when Magistrate Utahwashe will hand down his ruling on her application challenging state bid to place her on remand.” said ZLHR
Mahere is being charged with violating Section 31 of the Criminal Code after posting a tweet that alleged police had beaten an infant to death while enforcing Covid-19 lockdown rules last week.
Police later said the information was false but confirmed that police officers had smashed a commuter omnibus windscreen with the infant and the mother escaping unhurt.
Section 31 of Criminal Code reads “Publishing or communicating false statements prejudicial to the state’ she is accused of – sec 31(a)(i) publishing or communicating a statement intending or realising risk or possibility of inciting or promoting public order or public violence or endangering public safety, with alternative charge, sec 31(a)(iii) – undermining public confidence in law enforcement agency.”
Journalist Hopewell Chin’ono and Zengeza West legislator Job Sikhala are also facing the same charge and have also been remanded.