By Staff Reporter
Harare Magistrate Colleta Ncube on Wednesday acquitted Citizens Coalition for Change (CCC) interim leader Jameson Timba and 77 other party activists of disorderly conduct charges.
The decision comes after the activists were detained for three months following their arrest in June.
The group, including Timba, was apprehended at his residence during a gathering to commemorate the International Day of the African Child on June 16, 2024.
The arrests led to widespread criticism from human rights organizations, with many decrying the prolonged detention as politically motivated.
Zimbabwe Lawyers for Human Rights (ZLHR), who provided legal representation to the accused, hailed the court’s decision, highlighting the flawed nature of the prosecution’s case.
“The persecution and prosecution of Senator Timba and 77 Harare residents has suffered a spectacular collapse after Magistrate Colleta Ncube acquitted them of disorderly conduct charges having spent 3 months in prison detention following their arrest in June at Senator Timba’s residence,” ZLHR said in a statement.
The case has drawn significant attention, highlighting ongoing tensions between the ruling party and opposition groups in Zimbabwe.
The three-month detention of Timba and his fellow activists had sparked protests and calls for their release from both local and international human rights organizations.
