Zimbabwean author Tsitsi Danagrembga and journalist Julie Barnes have been handed a six months suspended sentence and fined 70,000 Zimbabwean dollars after they were convicted of inciting public violence, a Harare court declared.
The two were charged in 2020 after they staged an anti-corruption protest in 2020 holding placards with the message "we want better, reform our institutions" and "free our journalists. We want a better Zimbabwe for all."
Magistrate Barbra Mateko in her ruling said that "Considering the sequence of events when the accused were protesting they were instilling violence and accused are found guilty as charged,"
The two were charged in 2020 after they staged an anti-corruption protest in 2020 holding placards with the message "we want better, reform our institutions" and "free our journalists. We want a better Zimbabwe for all."
Magistrate Barbra Mateko in her ruling said that "Considering the sequence of events when the accused were protesting they were instilling violence and accused are found guilty as charged,"
In response, their lawyer argued that they should be given lenient treatment as they are first-time offenders
"The accused are first-time offenders and it is stated at law that they should be treated with leniency."
Ruling After Two Years
The conviction brings a case that's been dragged for over two years. In August, Tsitsi denied the charges levelled against her and a photojournalist testified in her favour.
The ruling was initially scheduled to be issued on August 26 but the court postponed it after her co-accused Julie Barnes failed to appear in court as she was out of the country and failed to secure an early flight back.
More delays were experienced on Thursday. Magistrate Barbra Mateko was to issue the ruling at 11:15 am but she was reportedly not ready and pushed it to 2:15 pm. Even that was delayed as the judgement was finally given a few minutes to four in the evening.
The ruling was initially scheduled to be issued on August 26 but the court postponed it after her co-accused Julie Barnes failed to appear in court as she was out of the country and failed to secure an early flight back.
More delays were experienced on Thursday. Magistrate Barbra Mateko was to issue the ruling at 11:15 am but she was reportedly not ready and pushed it to 2:15 pm. Even that was delayed as the judgement was finally given a few minutes to four in the evening.