Zimbabwe CIOs have tracked and found the person who published a fake statement alleging that President ED Mnangagwa had extended lockdown.
The dreaded state security apparatus was deployed after Mnangagwa demanded that the culprit be found and be locked up for 20 years for bringing his name into disrepute.
The arrest was announced few hours after Mnangagwa officially extended the lockdown by two more weeks.
Confirming the arrest on their official Twitter account, the police said:
The ZRP confirms the arrest of Lovemore Zvekusekwa(36) for circulating false information meant to cause alarm & despondency during the COVID19 national lockdown. He is being charged for contravening section 31(a)(i) of the Criminal Law (Codification and Reform) Act, Chapter 9:23.
CIO Boss: Minister Owen Mudha Ncube
An excerpt from the charge sheet say,
ALLEGATIONS During the month of April 2020, the accused person published a false Press Statement document purported to be issued and signed by President of Republic of Zimbabwe His Excellency Emmerson Dambudzo Mnangagwa headlined, “EXTENSION OF LOCKDOWN PERIOD BY 13 DAYS ONLY The false press statement document was extending the lockdown period by 13 days from 20 April 2020 to 3 May 2020.
