Prison officer in disciplinary hearing for insulting ED, wishing Chiefs bowing to Mbuya Nehanda statue to go mad

A Chinhoyi prison officer, Peter Kudzai Mushonga, appeared for a disciplinary hearing on charges of insulting President Emmerson Mnangagwa and some traditional leaders using what has been described as “traitorous or disloyal” words.

The Zimbabwe Prisons and Correctional Services accuses Mushonga of insulting President Mnangagwa and some traditional leaders who were paying some respect to the statue of Mbuya Nehanda on 25 May 2021.

It is alleged he committed the offence by commenting on his Facebook account on 26 May that he wished if those people kneeling before the statue could go mad.

He was represented at the hearing by Zimbabwe Lawyers for Human Rights.

Meanwhile, this is not the first time for members of uniformed forces to insulting Mnangagwa.

On Friday 10 July 2020, police arrested a Zimbabwe Republic Police (ZRP) member and charged him with undermining authority of or insulting President Mnangagwa.

ZRP members arrested Milton Murairwa, a 31 year-old police officer and charged him with undermining authority of or insulting President Mnangagwa as defined in section 33(2)(a)(i) of the Criminal Law (Codification and Reform) Act.

This came after he allegedly posted a message which reads “ED ne Team yake Must GO” on a WhatsApp group for police members stationed at Mbare Police Camp.

-Zwnews