Author: TSA Press

In
a
judgment
delivered
on
Wednesday,
the
court
struck
down
Section
22A
(3)
of
the
Criminal
Law
(Codification
and
Reform)
Amendment
Act
No.
10
of
2023,
declaring
it
vague,
overly
broad,
and
in
violation
of
fundamental
rights
guaranteed
under
the
country’s
Constitution.

The
provision
had
criminalised
participation
in
meetings
discussing
sanctions
against
Zimbabwe
and
allowed
penalties
such
as
citizenship
revocation,
restriction
of
voting
rights,
and
bans
from
holding
public
office.

The
court,
however,
upheld
Section
22A
(2)
of
the
Act,
which
criminalises
participation
in
foreign-led
efforts
to
overthrow
the
government,
saying
the
provision
was
sufficiently
clear
and
necessary
for
protecting
national
sovereignty.

“The
applicants
have
substantiated
constitutional
invalidity
in
respect
of
Section
22A
(3),”
said
Justice
Rodgers
Manyangadze
in
the
ruling.
“The
provision
lacks
precision
and
creates
uncertainty,
thereby
infringing
on
rights
to
freedom
of
expression,
association,
and
political
participation
as
enshrined
in
Sections
58,
61,
and
67
of
the
Constitution.”

The
case
was
brought
by
the
Media
Alliance
of
Zimbabwe
and
rights
activist
and
journalist
Zenzele
Ndebele,
who
argued
that
the
broadly-worded
law
threatened
freedom
of
speech
and
could
be
used
to
target
dissenters
and
journalists.
They
claimed
the
legislation
risked
punishing
individuals
simply
for
attending
international
meetings
or
engaging
in
legitimate
political
discourse.

Lawyers
for
the
government
defended
the
law
as
a
necessary
safeguard
for
state
security,
but
the
court
found
parts
of
the
statute
unjustifiably
limited
constitutional
rights.

“Criminal
offences
must
be
defined
with
clarity
to
avoid
ensnaring
innocent
conduct,”
the
court
ruled,
adding
that
severe
penalties
such
as
loss
of
citizenship
or
voting
rights
could
not
stand
without
clear
legal
justification.

The
court
dismissed
the
applicants’
challenge
to
Section
22A
(2),
which
penalises
citizens
who
conspire
with
foreign
powers
to
overthrow
the
government,
ruling
this
provision
was
precise
and
fell
within
the
state’s
right
to
defend
its
sovereignty.

There
was
no
order
as
to
costs.

Speaking
during
a
Statement
of
National
Interest
in
the
Senate
on
Thursday,
June
12,
2025,
Senator
Mlotshwa,
who
resides
in
Mahetshe,
demanded
that
Home
Affairs
launch
a
transparent
investigation
and
make
sure
the
officers
involved
are
prosecuted
for
assault.

“Fellow
citizens,
I
stand
before
you
today
deeply
alarmed
by
the
recent
incident
at
Mahetshe
Primary
School
in
Maphisa,
where
police
officers
brutalised
innocent
children
during
what
was
supposed
to
be
a
crime
awareness
campaign,”
said
Mlotshwa.

“This
event
exposes
a
disturbing
pattern,
an
endemic
culture
of
violence
within
our
police
service
that
increasingly
disregards
the
rights
and
dignity
of
our
children.
It
is
unacceptable
that
toddlers
and
young
learners
are
subjected
to
torture
and
inhumane
treatment,
especially
in
a
nation
committed
to
protecting
its
most
vulnerable.”

The
assault
incident
at
Mahetshe
Primary
occurred
on
May
21,
2025,
when
a
routine
awareness
campaign
turned
violent
after
officers
from
the
Zimbabwe
Republic
Police
(ZRP)
reportedly
beat
several
children
in
response
to
a
range
of
alleged
misbehaviours.

According
to
CITE
investigations,
the
flashpoint
was
a
case
involving
a
pupil
who
allegedly
stole
US$20
from
a
teacher
vending
snacks
at
the
school.

In
response,
the
school’s
authorities
and
the
School
Development
Committee
(SDC)
allegedly
invited
the
police
to
collectively
discipline
so-called
“naughty”
learners.

However,
instead
of
conducting
an
educational
session,
the
officers
allegedly
unleashed
violence
on
the
pupils
in
full
view
of
school
staff,
without
informing
or
seeking
consent
from
parents.

“The
response
from
law
enforcement
has
been
dismissive,
attempting
to
sweep
this
matter
under
the
carpet
and
avoiding
accountability,”
said
Senator
Mlotshwa.

“I
call
upon
the
Minister
of
Home
Affairs
to
demand
immediate
action,
police
officers
involved
must
be
prosecuted
for
assault
and
a
transparent
investigation
must
be
conducted
without
delay.”

According
to
eyewitnesses
and
community
members,
children
were
beaten
for
alleged
infractions
such
as
“dating,
engaging
in
sexual
intercourse,
touching
each
other’s
buttocks,
stealing
packed
lunch,
bullying,
failing
to
deliver
floor
polish
and
civvies
money
meant
for
school
use.”

Some
children
required
hospitalisation
following
the
ordeal
and
many
others
were
left
traumatised.

Senator
Mlotshwa
questioned
the
role
of
the
Ministry
of
Primary
and
Secondary
Education
in
allowing
such
abuse
to
occur.

“Moreover,
the
Ministry
of
Education
must
answer
how
police
entered
a
school
premises
and
brutalised
children
without
proper
authorisation
or
reporting
to
school
authorities,”
said
the
senator.

“We
must
also
hold
the
school
authorities
accountable
for
inviting
law
enforcement
into
a
space
meant
for
learning
and
development
without
safeguarding
our
children’s
welfare.
This
incident
is
a
wake-up
call;
we
must
reaffirm
our
commitment
to
children’s
rights
and
ensure
justice
prevails.
Our
nation’s
integrity
depends
on
it.”

The
Senate
President,
Mabel
Chinomona,
acknowledged
Senator
Mlotshwa’s
concerns
and
directed
the
relevant
ministers
to
urgently
look
into
the
matter.

The
community
in
Mahetshe
remains
outraged,
with
parents
and
guardians
demanding
justice
and
disciplinary
action
against
both
the
police
and
the
involved
school
authorities.

Civil
society
groups
have
also
weighed
in,
warning
that
such
unchecked
violence
undermines
public
trust
in
law
enforcement
and
the
education
system.

By
Promise
Dube

Human
rights
lawyer
Arnold
Tsunga
says
these
cases
reflect
a
disturbing
pattern
of
abuse
by
law
enforcement
officers
against
civilians,
vendors,
and
even
learners,
warning
that
impunity
remains
a
central
problem.

In
March,
nearly
100
people
were
arrested
during
protests
in
Harare.
According
to
Tsunga,
most
of
those
detained
were
not
involved
in
the
demonstration
but
were
picked
up
while
commuting
home
from
work.

“When
they
appeared
in
court,
it
became
clear
that
the
majority
had
simply
been
in
the
wrong
place
at
the
wrong
time,”
Tsunga
said
.
“Detaining
people
in
such
circumstances
under
filthy
conditions
amounts
to
abuse
of
police
power.”

Public
anger
has
also
been
fuelled
by
the
death
of
30-year-old
Blessed
Believe
Juruvenge,
who
died
after
allegedly
being
severely
beaten
by
Constable
Prince
Ndavambi
while
in
police
custody
at
Ruwa
Police
Station
last
month.

Ndavambi
reportedly
assaulted
Juruvenge
with
a
hoe
handle,
while
fellow
officers
allegedly
watched
without
intervening.
After
weeks
on
the
run,
Ndavambi
was
arrested
on
12
June.

In
a
separate
incident
in
Maphisa,
Matabeleland
South,
police
conducting
a
crime
awareness
campaign
at
Mahetshe
Primary
School
reportedly
beat
several
pupils,
including
toddlers,
sparking
national
outcry.

Witnesses
said
uniformed
officers
slapped
and
caned
the
learners,
leaving
some
injured
and
in
tears.
Parents
and
rights
groups
have
condemned
the
incident
as
unlawful
and
degrading,
prompting
a
government
investigation.

“The
police
are
not
mandated
to
discipline
schoolchildren,”
Tsunga
said,
describing
the
incident
as
a
gross
abuse
of
authority.

The
fresh
allegations
have
revived
memories
of
Zimbabwe’s
post-election
violence
in
2018,
when
soldiers
opened
fire
on
protesters
in
Harare,
killing
six
people.
Despite
a
commission
of
inquiry
led
by
former
South
African
President
Kgalema
Motlanthe
recommending
prosecutions,
no
action
has
been
taken
against
those
responsible.

“These
cases
demonstrate
a
systematic
failure
to
hold
security
forces
accountable,”
Tsunga
said.
“There
is
a
clear
pattern
of
excessive
and
unlawful
force,
which
fosters
public
fear
and
distrust.”

He
urged
the
police
to
adhere
strictly
to
principles
of
legality,
necessity,
proportionality,
and
accountability
in
maintaining
public
order.

By
Ndumiso
Tshuma

The
donation
was
officially
handed
over
during
a
ceremony
at
the
hospital
on
Thursday.

Speaking
at
the
event,
Nedbank’s
Head
of
Origination
and
Sales,
Harry
Harrise,
acknowledged
the
hospital’s
long-standing
challenges
in
accessing
essential
medical
equipment.

“From
what
I
gathered
from
officials
at
Mpilo,
the
hospital
has
been
using
ordinary
beds
simply
because
there
were
no
resources
for
proper
orthopaedic
equipment,”
Harrise
said.

He
described
the
situation
as
a
reflection
on
the
corporate
sector’s
failure
to
provide
adequate
support.

“It’s
certainly
a
bad
reflection
on
us,
the
corporate
community,
because
we
can
and
should
be
doing
more,”
he
added.

Harrise
said
that
while
the
donation
may
appear
modest,
it
has
the
potential
to
make
a
meaningful
difference
to
patient
care.

“We
believe
that
this
small
gesture
will
go
a
long
way
in
easing
the
stress
and
pain
endured
by
patients,”
he
said.

He
also
pointed
out
that
Mpilo
serves
a
wider
region
beyond
Bulawayo.

“The
hospital’s
catchment
area
is
not
limited
to
Bulawayo,
it
includes
Matabeleland
and
even
the
Midlands,
as
patients
travel
from
far
afield
to
access
services
here,”
he
noted.

Harrise
linked
the
donation
to
Nedbank’s
wider
involvement
in
sport,
explaining
that
many
sports
injuries
are
orthopaedic
in
nature.

“Nedbank
has
a
strong
presence
in
sports
such
as
rugby,
netball
and
cycling.
Injuries
in
these
disciplines
often
affect
the
limbs,
so
this
donation
is
also
aligned
with
our
interest
in
supporting
athletes’
recovery
in
the
future,”
he
said.

He
concluded
by
reaffirming
the
bank’s
commitment
to
supporting
public
healthcare
institutions.

“We
are
here
to
extend
our
gratitude
and
to
offer
this
small
but
meaningful
contribution,”
he
said.

Mpilo
Central
Hospital’s
Chief
Medical
Officer,
Dr
Narcisius
Dzvanga,
welcomed
the
donation,
saying
it
would
help
ease
the
hospital’s
operational
challenges
amid
economic
hardship.

“We
have
fallen
on
hard
times
as
a
country
and
as
a
hospital.
It’s
not
that
we
don’t
know
what
good
equipment
looks
like,
it’s
that
the
pockets
are
shallow,”
Dzvanga
said.

He
spoke
of
the
constant
challenge
of
balancing
patient
needs
against
limited
resources.

“With
just
one
dollar,
we
must
decide
how
best
to
use
it.
Patients
want
blankets,
food,
medication
many
things
and
we
must
carefully
balance
these
needs,”
he
explained.

Dr
Dzvanga
praised
hospital
staff
for
keeping
the
institution
running
despite
difficult
conditions.

“We
should
be
counted
among
miracle
workers.
Keeping
a
large
hospital
running
with
almost
nothing
is
like
driving
a
car
without
fuel
and
still
arriving
in
Harare
whether
pushed
or
pulled,
you
still
get
there.
That’s
how
we
operate
here,”
he
said.

He
explained
that
the
hospital
had
approached
various
companies
for
support.

“We
reached
out
to
20
or
30
companies
we
thought
might
understand
our
plight.
Only
Nedbank
responded,”
he
revealed.

Dr
Dzvanga
stressed
the
importance
of
transparency
when
working
with
corporate
donors.

“We
never
dictate
what
companies
should
give.
They
tell
us
what
they
can
afford,
and
we
plan
around
that,”
he
said.

He
added
that
the
hospital
discourages
direct
cash
donations
to
avoid
misuse.

“We
always
advise:
don’t
give
us
money.
Once
it’s
in
the
coffers,
it
gets
spent
on
fuel,
bolts,
polish
or
vegetables
and
suddenly
there’s
nothing
visible
to
show
for
it.
People
rightly
ask:
what
happened
to
the
money?
But
the
answer
isn’t
clear,”
Dzvanga
said.

He
encouraged
other
companies
to
consider
in-kind
donations
tailored
to
what
they
can
afford.

“We
simply
ask
companies
to
tell
us
their
budget,
and
we’ll
suggest
what
can
be
done
within
that
amount,”
he
said.

BULAWAYO-
Three
people
died
and
18
others
were
injured
after
a
Stallion
Cruise
bus
and
two
haulage
trucks
collided
along
the
Bulawayo-Victoria
Falls
road
on
Wednesday
evening,
police
confirmed.

The
crash
happened
at
around
6.30PM
near
the
first
tollgate
in
Umguza.
Police
said
the
bus
driver
“encroached
into
the
lane
of
oncoming
traffic
after
trying
to
overtake
a
Volvo
haulage
truck,”
leading
to
a
head-on
collision
with
another
truck
travelling
in
the
opposite
direction.

“Prior
to
the
head
on,
the
bus
swerved
to
the
right
side
hitting
the
truck
which
was
going
in
the
same
direction
from
rear
right
corner
of
the
trailer,”
police
said
in
a
statement.
“As
result
of
the
head
on
collision,
one
male
person
was
thrown
from
the
bus
into
truck’s
front
passenger
seat
and
he
died
on
the
spot
and
another
female
passenger
who
was
in
the
oncoming
truck
also
died
because
of
the
impact
of
the
collision.”

A
third
victim
died
in
hospital
on
Wednesday,
bringing
the
confirmed
death
toll
to
three.
Police
said
18
other
passengers
sustained
various
injuries
and
were
ferried
to
local
hospitals
for
treatment.

The
bus
and
both
trucks
were
extensively
damaged.

Police
believe
the
crash
was
caused
by
“speeding,
overtaking
error,
inattention
and
misjudgment
by
the
bus
driver,”
and
say
a
charge
of
culpable
homicide
is
being
preferred
against
him.

Bulawayo
provincial
police
spokesperson
Inspector
Msebele
Nomalanga
urged
motorists
to
be
cautious
on
the
roads.

“Police
is
appealing
to
motorists
to
exercise
due
care,
avoid
overspeeding,
be
patient
on
our
roads
and
to
always
follow
road
traffic
regulations
so
as
to
avoid
loss
of
lives,”
she
said.

HARARE,
Zimbabwe
—
A
Harare
magistrate
on
Monday
partially
dismissed
an
application
for
discharge
by
two
men
accused
of
forging
company
documents
to
seize
control
of
property
linked
to
the
estate
of
Brian
James
Rhodes,
a
grandson
of
British
imperialist
Cecil
Rhodes.

Provincial
Magistrate
Lisa
Mutendereki
ruled
that
one
of
the
accused,
Brian
Murphy,
must
take
the
witness
stand
Thursday
to
defend
himself
against
charges
of
fraud
and
misrepresentation.
His
co-accused,
Adam
Wood,
was
acquitted
after
the
court
found
no
evidence
tying
him
to
the
alleged
scheme.

Prosecutors
allege
the
two
submitted
a
forged
CR14
form—used
to
register
company
directors—to
the
Registrar
of
Companies
in
an
attempt
to
take
over
Karoi
Properties
(Pvt.)
Ltd.,
which
owns
several
commercial
stands
on
Harare’s
Mutare
Road.
The
company
was
registered
in
the
name
of
the
late
Brian
Rhodes.

The
properties
in
question
include
several
stands
(184,
186,
188,
and
194)
along
Mutare
Road
in
Harare.

In
her
ruling,
magistrate
Lisa
Mutendereki
noted
discrepancies
in
the
evidence
presented.

“From
the
evidence,
certain
issues
are
not
disputed.
In
the
main
charge,
it
is
clear
there
was
a
misrepresentation.
In
the
alternative
charge,
the
Registrar’s
office,
being
a
public
entity,
was
supplied
with
false
information
by
Veracity,
a
company
where
Murphy
is
a
director,”
Mutendereki
said
in
her
ruling.

“The
first
accused
(Murphy)
must
provide
a
defence
based
on
the
evidence
presented
to
the
court.
However,
the
second
accused
(Wood)
was
proven
to
have
no
ties
to
Veracity
and
has
thus
been
acquitted.”

According
to
the
State’s
case,
the
late
Brian
Rhodes
executed
a
will
on
October
20,
2003,
naming
several
beneficiaries,
including
Shonar
Rhodes
Faquar,
Benice
Rhodes
Kilburn,
Lonar
Rhodes
Cruger,
Sean
Rhodes,
and
Elizabeth
Anne
Rhodes.

The
will
also
proposed
the
creation
of
a
Phoenix
Trust.
However,
by
the
time
of
Rhodes’
death
on
July
29,
2006,
the
trust
had
not
been
registered,
and
no
shares
or
properties
had
been
transferred
to
it.

The
estate
was
registered
with
the
Master
of
the
High
Court
under
DR
1426/10
on
October
15,
2010,
by
Rhodes’
surviving
spouse.
In
December
2012,
the
complainant,
Elizabeth
Mucheche,
was
appointed
executor
of
the
estate
to
oversee
its
administration
and
the
distribution
of
shares
to
the
beneficiaries.

It
was
during
this
time
that
Mucheche
allegedly
uncovered
fraudulent
activity.

The
State
claims
that
on
October
20,
2016,
Murphy
and
Wood,
acting
in
common
purpose,
forged
a
CR14
form
for
Karoi
Properties
and
submitted
it
to
the
Registrar
of
Companies.
The
form
falsely
stated
that
Brian
Rhodes
had
died
on
April
30,
2012,
instead
of
the
actual
date,
July
29,
2006.

The
CR14
also
alleged
that
Lorna
Jane
Cruger
had
resigned
as
a
director
of
Karoi
Properties,
a
claim
contradicted
by
company
records
and
CR14
form
guidelines.

The
State
alleges
these
actions
were
designed
to
mislead
the
Registrar’s
office
and
unlawfully
alter
the
company’s
directorship.