The Sunday News
Michael Magoronga, Midlands Correspondent
MDC-A Member of Parliament for Mbizo, Settlement Chikwinya and his Redcliff counterpart, Lloyd Mukapiko have been acquitted on charges of inciting violence during the January violent demonstrations that rocked the country.
In his ruling on Friday, Kwekwe magistrate, Mr Storey Rushambwa said there was no evidence linking the two legislators to the disturbances.
“There is simply no causal link between what the State witnesses are saying and what the accused are saying.
“There is no evidence that the two accused were linked to the violence that broke out in the Central Business District and other parts of the country.
“The two accused are therefore acquitted on both main and alternative charges,” said Mr Rushambwa.
He said the group of youths that allegedly later caused mayhem in the CBD were armed with all sorts of weapons like knobkerries, machetes and sticks, yet the ones that the State witnesses saw being addressed did not have any weapon.
He also said there was strong evidence that Chikwinya and Mukapiko never met on the day in question as claimed by the State witnesses.
“It was discovered that Chikwinya was at Red Lion Bar at the time, Mukapiko was never anywhere near the place as claimed by the State witnesses,” he said.
The court also questioned the fact that the complainants reported the matter to the police on 4 February despite the violence having broken out on 14 January, saying it leaves the court with more questions than answers.
Chikwinya and Mukapiko were arrested on 18 January before being released on bail by the High Court.
Allegations are that on January 12, around 9pm, Chikwinya and Mukapiko had meetings with MDC-A youths at Red Lion Bar where they addressed a meeting inciting the public to engage in violent protests.
This led to violence in Gweru, Gokwe and Bulawayo.
On 14 January after the demonstration that destroyed millions worth of property across the country, Chikwinya wrote a message on his Facebook timeline thanking those who had heeded the call for a mass stay away and total shut down.
He encouraged people to be violent against the ruling Government until it gives up power.
Mrs Yeukai Mugumba prosecuted.
