HARARE – Patriotic Front (NPF) supporter Jim Kunaka, 40, was Tuesday dragged to court on allegations of participating in protests which left seven people dead on August 1 this year.
He appeared before Harare magistrate Ruramai Chitumbura facing public violence charges.
Kunaka was released on $200 bail coupled with strict conditions.
Kunaka will be back in court on September 4 and his docket will be joined with that of other protestors already on remand.
Meanwhile, Paddington Japajapa, a controversial businessman cum political activist,was also hauled before the same court answering to a charge of inciting public violence after being on the run for the past two weeks.
Japajapa was released on $100 bail after he complained that the $200 proposed by prosecutor Sebastin Mutizirwa was too much for him.
Japajapa will be back in court on September 4.
According to the state, allegations against him arose on July 31 at the Harare International Conference Centre (HICC).
It is alleged that when Zimbabwe Electoral Commission (ZEC) announced election results for the first seven constituencies in respect of the National Assembly, Japajapa then held a press conference outside ZEC command centre and claimed the results were rigged and they were not going to “accept rubbish”.
He allegedly said he was a civil society leader and was going to instigate chaos in the country.
“If people come to rallies it means they appreciate their candidate, you cannot follow a candidate whom you cannot vote for,” it is alleged he said.
The court heard he went on to cite Gweru as an example saying over 40,000 people attended MDC Alliance leader Nelson Chamisa’s rally as such there was no way he could lose the election.
“ZEC must do the right thing by announcing correct results. Failure to do this as a leader of a civic organisation I’m going to call for chaos in this country. We’re not concerned about consequences, we want the right thing to be done,” Japajapa is alleged to have said.
Zimbabwe will prosper one day because a few men and women decide to be ethical and principled. Today I appreciate you Mr Japajapa. Chokwadi chakanaka. Makaona nhema and you refused to be part of it. pic.twitter.com/2GlI6NFTFY
— Muzvare Betty Makoni (@Betty_Makoni) August 21, 2018
According to the state, following the utterances, MDC Alliance supporters took to the streets and demonstrated against the Zimbabwe Electoral Commission, a protest which later turned violent.
At least seven people died during the protests before Japajapa went into hiding.
Prosecutors claim several press statements were made outlining that Japajapa was wanted by the police, but he never showed up.
He was nabbed after police received tips with regards to his whereabouts.
