The State has reportedly withdrawn all charges against nine women from Watsomba who were arrested allegedly for booing First Lady Auxillia Mnangagwa on Wednesday, 10 April 2024.
The women were detained at Mutare Central Police Station, before being charged with disorderly conduct in a public place as defined in section 41(b) of the Criminal Law (Codification and Reform) Act.
The accused persons were named by human rights lawyers as Nester Chatiwana aged 41 years, Panashe Machekanzondo aged 19 years, Winnet Sithole aged 19 years, Maria Choto aged 49 years, Esnath Choto aged 33 years, Ellen Rujuwa aged 28 years, Faith Chidhakwa aged 30 years, Patience Matasva aged 35 years and Joyce Mashingaidza aged 29 years.
Presidential spokesperson George Charamba said the charges against the nine women were withdrawn on Sunday after both Mnangagwa and Zimbabwe Republic Police (ZRP) Commissioner General Godwin Tandabantu Matanga agreed that the police officers on the ground overreacted. He wrote on X:
Both the First Lady and Police Commissioner General agreed the officers on the ground overreacted. On the instructions of the First Lady, all charges were withdrawn yesterday.
It was alleged that the women booed Mnangagwa during her address at Watsomba Business Centre in Manicaland Province after they had failed to get some freebies, which the First Lady was handing out as part of her charitable work.
The women were set to return to court on 30 April 2024.
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