Wanted demonstrator weds in Vic Falls

17 Aug, 2019 - 16:08 0 Views
Wanted demonstrator weds in Vic Falls Petro Beta

The Sunday News

Sunday News Reporter

A FORMER polling officer who reportedly took pictures inside a polling station during the July 2018 harmonised elections and was also on the run after being fingered as one of the leaders of the 13 January violent demonstrations recently emerged at Victoria Falls where he got married at the Vitoria Falls Magistrates court.

Petro Beta has been on the police wanted list in connection with the protests where he is suspected to have been one of the ring leaders operating in Bulawayo.

The protests, that were organized by the opposition, MDC Alliance saw companies and individuals lose their properties to the marauding demonstrators.

Ordinary businesses became the biggest targets of attacks, resulting in the loss of goods, income, jobs and shops which were vandalised

Numerous individuals were arrested and convicted for their role in the protests with some escaping to neighbouring South Africa fearing arrest for the roles they played in the protest.

In the latest development, Beta who at one point faced arrest after he reportedly took pictures inside a Polling station during the July 2018 harmonised elections in Bulawayo- an Act that is deemed illegal under the country’s Electoral Act- recently came out of hiding to get married in Vitoria Falls with his childhood sweetheart.

“Beta was wanted in connection with the January demonstrations where he is suspected to have been one of the leaders in Bulawayo. We got information that he got married at the Victoria Falls magistrates court on 9 August and our officers immediately were dispatched to investigate but unfortunately, he skipped out of the country before we could question him.

“The net is slowly closing in on him and his accomplices we understand he had been staying in Victoria Falls for some time, we are therefore asking for anyone that could assist us to locate him to approach any of our police stations,” said a police source.

During the July 2018 elections, Beta was said to have been spotted taking pictures inside a polling station at Masuku Primary School in Tshabalala, Bulawayo amid allegations that he had spotted a couple of individuals sneak out with ballot boxes from the polling station.

He later claimed that he had been forced to delete the pictures by unknown assailants who accused him of illegally taking and distributing the pictures.

 

 

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