'I never stole from Mugabe… ex-president can testify in my favour,' says accused soldier
A Zimbabwean soldier, who allegedly stole 119 laptops from the country's former president Robert Mugabe, has reportedly told a court during his bail application in Harare that he was in fact given the alleged stolen property by Mugabe himself.
According to New Zimbabwe.com, Pepukai Zvakavapano, told the court that Mugabe could testify to support his utterances.
Zvakawapano was attached to the Presidential Guard section.
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WATCH: SADC chair Ramaphosa speaks on Zim, Lesotho, Madagascar, DRC
Southern African Development Community (SADC) Chairperson and President of South Africa, Cyril Ramaphosa has expressed satisfaction that peace and security are being consolidated in the region.
Ramaphosa said this, following the SADC Troika Heads of State and Government summit in Luanda, Angola on Tuesday.
The summit was aimed at assessing the political and security environment in the SADC region, particularly in countries like Lesotho, Madagascar, Democratic Republic of Congo and Zimbabwe.
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WATCH: Gays in Kenya want govt to repeal colonial law against homosexuality
Kenya's high court is reportedly considering whether or not to repeal some of the country's colonial-era laws banning homosexuality – a crime that carries at least 14 years in jail in the east African nation.
According to Voice of America, rights groups in the east African nation have expressed concern over the law, saying that it violated the country's constitution and it opened "the way to discrimination and abuse of sexual minorities".
Homosexuality remained unaccepted in Kenya, as various religious groups continued to urge the courts not to amend the constitution.
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Zim sets up 'special courts' to deal with election violence, intimidation – reports
Zimbabwe has reportedly set up special courts around the country and a police task team to deal with cases of political violence and intimidation ahead of the forthcoming elections.
The elections, which are expected before the end of July, would be the country's first vote without former president Robert Mugabe as one of the presidential candidates.
According to BBC, previous elections "were marred by violence as the police and military were used to intimidate the opposition and keep Mr Mugabe in power".
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DRC main opposition musters rare authorised rally
The first authorised mass rally by the Democratic Republic of Congo's opposition in nearly two years passed off peacefully on Tuesday, months ahead of a key presidential election in the vast, mineral-rich state.
Thousands of members and supporters of the Union for Democracy and Social Progress (UDPS) gathered in the capital Kinshasa to hear their leader, Felix Tshisekedi, outline some of his party's electoral aims.
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Student from Zambia performs in national poetry contest
A Maine high school student who fled his native Zambia says the experience of participating in a national spoken poetry competition was "heaven" even though he didn't advance.
Deering High School junior Allan Monga had to go to court to become one of 53 participants on Tuesday in the national Poetry Out Loud competition in Washington, DC.
US Representative Chellie Pingree, who championed his cause, said the asylum seeker learned about "persisting through challenges to chase your dreams".
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