Student Arrested For Insulting The President On A Whats app Status
A 35-year-old Midlands State University student, Victor Majoni Tuesday appeared before Bulawayo Provincial Magistrates Court facing charges of insulting President Emmerson Mnangagwa.
This came after he allegedly uploaded on his WhatsApp status a video status of a cartoon character with contents allegedly insulting the President.
The witness, Remigious Komboni, a Zanu PF secretary for administration in the youth league and a farmer in Umguza area, told the court that Majoni posted the video on his status a few days after President Mnangagwa had announced that citizens should fast and pray for the nation. He said:
I was going through WhatsApp statuses on my phone one day and I saw the status on Majoni’s phone. I sent him a message to warn him that he was out of line, but he ignored my advice.
I approached the councillor and the Member of Parliament before I proceeded to the police.
He later told me that his nephew is the one who had uploaded the status.
Majoni’s lawyer, Nqobani Sithole disputed Kombani’s evidence, insisting there was bad blood between his client and the informant because of their different political affiliations.
The ruling will be delivered on November 9 after Majoni finishes writing his examinations.
A number of people have been arrested since the days of the late former president Robert Mugabe for insulting the president.
Analysts say authorities are infringing the citizens’ constitutionally given right of expression.
