The ManicaPost
Lovemore Kadzura Rusape Correspondent
TWO Rusape men who were caught red handed blocking the Harare-Mutare highway during the violent protests organised by the MDC Alliance and its agents have been jailed for three years.
The two convicts Achford Chari (26) and Leonard Rebanewako (26), all of Vengere, Rusape, were nabbed barricading the busy highway with burning tyres and tree branches.
The duo will, however, serve two effective years after Rusape magistrate Mr Shane Kubonera suspended one year on condition of good behaviour.
Chari and Rebanewako, who were represented by Mr Leonard Chigadza of Zimbabwe Lawyers for Human Rights, were denying the offence.
They had argued that they were just passing through the scene when the police pounced on them.
However, State prosecutor Ms Event Dhliwayo convinced the court that Chari and Rebanewako had committed the offence.
She said the pair and other four suspects still at large, placed some burning tyres at the 173km peg along Harare-Mutare highway.
“On January 15, 2019 at around 1030hrs the accused persons and the other four outstanding suspects, connived and proceeded to 173km peg along Harare-Mutare road where they placed some burning tyres on the road.
“The accused persons and their accomplices were seen committing the offence by the Rusape reaction team which comprises of the members of the Zimbabwe Republic Police and Zimbabwe National Army.
“On noticing the reaction team approaching, the accused persons and their accomplices ran away into different directions. The reaction team chased after the accused persons and managed to arrest the two.
“A partly burnt tyre was recovered by the police at the scene and can be produced in court as exhibit,” said Ms Dhliwayo.
Mr Chigadza said on Wednesday that he would appeal against both the conviction and sentence at the High Court.
