Ex-Zanu-PF activist accused of insulting Mugabe freed – report

2018-06-09 07:32
Robert Mugabe (AP)

Robert Mugabe (AP)

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Former Zanu-PF activist, Acie Lumumba, has been set free after a case against him was thrown out of court, NewsDay has said. Lumumba had been accused of insulting ex-president Robert Mugabe.

The ex-Zimbabwe youth council chairperson, used the F-word against Mugabe in 2016 when he was launching his new Viva Zimbabwe political party in the capital Harare.

His direct taunt won him a smattering of applause - and lots of questions.

However, a few days after uttering the expletives, reports indicated that the former Zanu-PF activist had handed himself over to the police - thus was after he had gone into hiding to evade arrest.

Lumumba was charged with undermining Mugabe's authority.

NewsDay said that due to lack of evidence against the outspoken activist, the charges were dropped this week.

The state represented by Venancia Matake said they were withdrawing the charges, citing lack of evidence.

"The state is now withdrawing charges against the accused person before plea and we accept that there is no evidence against him," Mutake said.

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