A magistrate in Harare has cleared human rights defenders Robson Chere, Namatai Kwekweza, and Samuel Gwenzi of disorderly conduct charges, bringing to a close a trial lasting an entire year that had sparked significant criticism from advocacy organizations.
Alongside them, Vusumuzi Moyo, Phillies Pikitayi, Delphine Gutsa, Simbarashe Blackson, Emmanuel Sitima, and Last Chinodya were also found not guilty of the accusations they faced.
Last year, Chere, Kwekweza, and Gwenzi were forcibly removed from a flight at Robert Gabriel Mugabe International Airport by a group of 12 unidentified individuals as they were about to travel to Victoria Falls. The activists reported enduring hours of interrogation and torture, with Chere suffering severe injuries that threatened his life due to a brutal beating.
The prosecution claimed the group had taken part in an unlawful demonstration outside the Harare Magistrates Court on June 27, 2024, showing support for over 70 Citizens Coalition for Change (CCC) members who were attending court sessions on that date.
Ultimately, the magistrate determined that the prosecution did not sufficiently establish their case, leading to the full acquittal of all nine defendants.
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