Opposition Citizens Coalition for Change (CCC) Member of Parliament for Mkoba, Gweru, Amos Chibaya was yesterday released from police custody pending investigations in a case he is accused of convening a meeting without authority from the police.
Chibaya who is a founding member of the Movement for Democratic Change (MDC) was arrested on Monday on allegations of addressing CCC supporters on 30 April 2022 at Gwindigwi Mountains, Charandura without notifying the regulating authority in violation of the Maintenance of Peace Act (MOPA).
In an update on the case, CCC spokesperson, Fadzayi Mahere said Chibaya had been released. She said:
UPDATE – Hon @amos_chibaya was released into the custody of his lawyers “pending further investigations.” He flatly denies the allegations and his put the State to the proof of their allegations. He is innocent.
In May this year, a Citizens Coalition for Change (CCC) Manicaland province secretary-general Godfrey Mubatsa, was also arrested for violating the MOPA, after allegedly addressing an unsanctioned political gathering in Doradombo at Mambondiyani Mountain.
The MOPA was introduced in 2019 to replace the Public Order and Security Act (POSA), which was deemed draconian.
POSA had been used by the police to block the opposition MDC from holding rallies.