State Withdraws Murder Charges Against ARTUZ Leaders Masaraure And Chere
The State has withdrawn murder charges against Obert Masaraure and Robson Chere, leaders of the Amalgamated Rural Teachers Union of Zimbabwe (ARTUZ) before a plea was entered. This comes after nearly eight years of delays, during which the trial failed to commence.
Masaraure (pictured) serves as the president of ARTUZ, while Chere holds the position of secretary-general.
Masaraure, represented by lawyer Doug Coltart, appeared before Harare resident magistrate Dennis Mangosi on Friday, November 11.
Allegations were that on June 11, 2016, at around 10 PM, Masaraure and his accomplices, who remain at large, were in the company of the now-deceased Roy Issa at the Quill Club in the Ambassador Hotel, where they were drinking.
Allegedly, they left the club about 30 minutes later and proceeded to the Cresta Jameson Hotel, where Issa, a youth activist and member of ARTUZ, ultimately died.
In court, prosecutors claimed that Masaraure and Chere, along with four unnamed accomplices, engaged in a drinking spree in Harare with Issa.
Following a misunderstanding, they reportedly ganged up on him and assaulted him in the head with unknown weapons, leading to his death.
Prosecutors further alleged that the accused attempted to conceal the crime by falsely claiming that Issa fell from the balcony of Jameson Hotel, resulting in his death.
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