Rural Teachers' Union President Obert Masaraure Arrested
Amalgamated Rural Teachers Union (ARTUZ) president, Obert Masaraure, is spending the weekend in prison following his arrest on Friday.
According to the Zimbabwe Lawyers for Human Rights, Masaraure appeared at Harare Magistrates Court on Saturday for initial remand proceedings.
He has been charged with defeating or obstructing the course of justice as defined in Section 184(1)(c) of the Criminal Code, alternatively, incitement to commit public violence as defined in Section 187(1)(a) of Criminal Code as read with Section 36(1)(a) of Criminal Code.
Prosecutors alleged that Masaraure authored a statement that he published on Twitter and on the ARTUZ website which was meant to prejudice his pending trial and that of ARTUZ secretary-general Robson Chere and to persuade ARTUZ members and the general public to commit public violence.
Masaraure is represented by Tapiwa Muchineripi of the Zimbabwe Lawyers for Human Rights.
He returns to court on Monday, where his bail application is scheduled to be heard and determined.
Chere appeared before Harare magistrate, Yeukai Dzuda on Thursday to answer murder charges emanating from a 2016 incident.
The magistrate remanded him in custody and referred him to the High Court for bail consideration.
