MDC Alliance Youth Leader, Obey Sithole was on Wednesday granted $1000 bail when he appeared before Harare Magistrate accused of violating COVID-19 regulations.
He is charged under Section 37 of the Criminal Code which relates to participating in a gathering with intent to promote public violence, alternatively, for breaching Section 5 of S.I 99/2020 (the COVID 19 Regulations) which prohibit public gatherings that exceed 50 persons.
The development was announced by the party in a social media post which reads:
MDC Alliance Youth Assembly National Chair, Tererai Obey Sithole was today (Wednesday) granted ZWL$1000 by a Harare Magistrate. Sithole is facing flimsy charges of participating in an illegal gathering and contravening Statutory Instrument 83 of 2020. (Public Health (COVID-19 Prevention, Containment and Treatment) (National Lockdown) Order, 2020).
MDC Alliance says Sithole’s arrest constitutes an onslaught against the party and also constitutes a selective application of the law in the country to settle political scores.
Sithole’s arrest follows the arrest, abduction, torture and sexual assault of three female members of the party’s youth assembly, Joanna Mamombe, Cecilia Chimbiri and Netsai Marova, who are also being accused of violating the same legislations.
More: MDC Zimbabwe