(Last Updated on April 6, 2021 by GERALD NCUBE)
HARARE – MDC Alliance national executive and youth leader Makomborero Haruzivishe was today sentenced to fourteen months in prison following his conviction on two separate charges.
Haruzivishe was last week found guilty of inciting public violence and resisting arrest by Harare magistrate Judith Taruvinga.
Magistrate Taruvinga sentenced Haruzivshe to 24 months in prison for inciting violence with 10 months suspended.
On the second count of resisting arrest, Hauzivishe was sentenced to 12 months in custody with 6 months suspended.
However, the sentences will run concurrently meaning he will spend 14 months in prison.
Prosecuting team claims that Haruzivishe, sometime last year incited the public through whistling a code to mobilise people to revolt against the police who were arresting vendors in Harare Central Business District.
Addressing the media before the police riot halted the presser, MDC Alliance spokesperson Fadzayi Mahere said Haruzivishe was being targeted for being a member of opposition while adding that his lawyers were going to file for an appeal.
“Mako has been given an effective 14 months in prison. So he is having a custodial sentence. We all know that Mako is being targeted simply because he is an MDC Alliance youth member and also because he speaks out against poverty, justice and corruption. That’s an abuse of the rule of law and it’s also unconstitutional and we are going to ensure we pursue all legal means to protect his rights.
“We have spoken to his lawyers and his lawyers are going to file an appeal definitely this week. We want to ensure that he gets bail pending appeal so that he spends less time incarcerated. We all know that the conviction is extremely controversial even the reasons for a custodial sentence,” Mahere said.
Haruzivishe has pending charges including allegations of kidnapping after he participated in a protest against Impala car rental last year.
The magistrate courts were today marked by heavy police presence in anticipation of protests.
Police briefly ran riot and beat up people including journalist near the courts.