The Zimbabwe Union of Journalists vice president, Godfrey Mtimba has been arrested and is due to appear in court this afternoon on charges of insulting and undermining the authority of President Emmerson Mnangagwa.

Mtimba was initially charged for taking pictures of Police details trying to arrest MDC A activists including the party’s national youth chairman Godfrey Kurauone. They then changed the charge and said he undermined the authority of the President.

According to Police documents, Mtimba addressed commuters gathered at a bus rank in the city on Friday evening and told them that they were suffering because President Mnangagwa and his sons were looting Zimbabwe’s resources.

Mtimba is pleading innocent and insists that he was never at the said rank.

“Muri muqueue imomo nokutamba nhamo nenyaya yaMnangagwa nevana vake vari kuba (You are standing in that long queue and suffering because of Mnangagwa and his children who are stealing),” reads part of the charge sheet.
Masvingo Police spokesperson Chief Inspector Charity Mazula’s phone was not reachable at the time of going to Press.

ZUJ secretary general, Foster Dongozi confirmed the case.

Efforts to get a comment from Mtimba’s lawyer Philip Shumba were futile.

However, sources said Mtimba who is a freelance journalist picked up information on Friday that Police were on a high car speed chase against Kurauone after they found the youth leader addressing commuters in the city. Mutimba realised that the chase led to Mucheke where Kurauone and two others allegedly abandoned their car and ran away.

Mtimba who was already home went to Mucheke where he found cops guarding the dumped car by Kurauone. Police accused Mutimba of using an expired Press card and ordered him off the scene.

Mtimba was shocked when he was summoned to the Law and Order Section on Saturday morning. He then went today and was arrested and charged. (Masvingo Mirror)