Who is Mberewere? One of ZANU PFs Grand Plan beneficiary holding a strategic position in our Country UMthwakazi to further the evil agenda. Matabeleland not marginalised, says magistrate Mberewere by Tendayi Madhomu 12 March 2014 | 1977 Views Source: Bulawayo24 news A Bulawayo magistrate Chrispen Mberewere Tuesday said it is not true that Matabeleland is being marginalised as de-industrialisation was happening everywhere else in the country. Mberewere said this while passing sentence on two Mthwakazi youth leaders, Mqondisi Moyo and Busani Sibindi whom he convicted on Monday for organising a demonstration without police clearance against Zesa Holdings which had employing people from Mashonaland to work at Emganwini in Bulawayo. The magistrate fined the pair $500 each or three months in prison. In passing his sentence, Mberewere dismissed mitigation by Moyo and Sibindi through their lawyer that they took the action because they and the other 21 protestors felt their region being was maginalised and were desperate for employment as Bulawayo had suffered de-industrialisation. The court has taken into consideration that the accused are first offenders who acted in the belief that they did not need to inform the authorities, he said. The court did not take into consideration that they are from a marginalised region as indicated by the defence counsel during mitigation. It is not true that they come from a marginalised region. The aspect of de-industrialisation affects the whole country. Mberewere said the offence committed by the pair was serious, saying that notifying police was simply meant to guarantee public safety. The accused committed a serious offence by not informing the regulatory authorities. In the past, demonstrations held without informing the police have come with problems such as clashes with groups who have opposing views, he said. Advising the authorities is meant to ensure that the police are aware; it is not to restrict or prevent the demonstration but to provide security. Mberewere said a non-custodial sentence was appropriate for the offence as the two were first offenders. On Monday, when Mberewere delivered the guilty verdict to Moyo and Sibindi, he rapped the demonstrators for producing a petition which he said had tribal connotations and was rather childish. .
Posted on: Wed, 12 Mar 2014 16:56:03 +0000