The opposition Citizens’ Coalition for Change (CCC) aspiring Harare South Ward 12 councillor Ranganayi Mupakati has been acquitted of charges of assaulting a ZANU PF aspiring councillor in the same ward.
This comes after the state failed to provide satisfactory evidence of the crime.
According to the Zimbabwe Human Rights NGO Forum, the State called the evidence of three witnesses, including the complainant and two other ZANU PF supporters.
However, their testimonies not only failed to collaborate but they also failed to challenge Mupakati’s statement.
Allegations were that Mupakati assaulted Simon Munzanga who was the aspiring ZANU PF councillor with fists and open hands during the election period on 10 August 2023.
The accused, through his lawyer, Bianca Mahere, of the Zimbabwe Human Rights NGO Forum, applied for discharge at the close of the State case.
The application was granted by Mbare provincial magistrate, Batanai Madzingira who also acquitted Mupakati.
The court agreed with the defence counsel that the State had not made a convincing case against the accused person and failed to rebut the accused’s evidence.
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