Republic Police (ZRP) members arrested and charged the duo with
publishing or communicating falsehoods by sharing a message on a
WhatsApp group stating that President Emmerson Mnangagwa had died
after being administered a vaccine to treat him of coronavirus.
The couple, Vongai Nomatter Chiminya aged 20 years and Devine Panashe
Maregere also aged 20 years, were on Friday 29 January 2021 ordered to
pay RTGS$15 000 bail each by Beitbridge Magistrate Toendepi Zhou and
ordered not to post any material on social media to do with government
business.
2021 unlawfully and intentionally forwarded an audio message to each
other and later on, on a WhatsApp group alleging that President
By Staff Reporter
A BEITBRIDGE couple has been remanded in custody after it was arrested this week for allegedly broadcasting via a WhatsApp group that President Emmerson Mnangagwa had succumbed to Covid19.
Devine Panashe Maregere (20) and his wife Vongai Chiminya (20) are accused of falsely claiming Mnangagwa died on January 25 due to Covid-19 related complications.
They appeared before Beitbridge resident magistrate Toindepi Zhou charged with contravening provisions of the Criminal Law (Codification and Reform) Act Chapter 9:23 by publishing or communicating false statement prejudicial to the State.
Zhou remanded them in custody to March 5.
Appearing for the state, Tsitsi Mutukwa said on January 26, the couple was at their home in Dulivhadzimu suburb when Chiminya received an audio message via a WhatsApp group ‘Ruwadzano Rwemadzimai’ which she is a member of.
Joyce Muchenje,centre, poses for a photo with her three children, who all have albinism, outside their family home in Chitungwiza on the outskirts of Harare, in this Tuesday, June, 9, 2020. Muchenje used to provide for them by washing laundry and household cleaning for cross border traders at a busy border town before the lockdown, but now the border trade has stopped and Mutenje has run out of money to get the skin cream for her children. (AP Photo/Tsvangirayi Mukwazhi)
A Beitbridge couple has been arrested for allegedly broadcasting via a WhatsApp group that President Mnangagwa had succumbed to Covid19.