Ishmael Maukazuva, the Councillor for Ward 12 in Chikomba West Constituency, has been released after spending two days in detention.
He was arrested by Zimbabwe Republic Police (ZRP) officers and charged with undermining the authority of or insulting President Emmerson Mnangagwa.
Maukazuva, who was represented by Paida Saurombe from the Zimbabwe Lawyers for Human Rights (ZLHR), was taken into custody on Wednesday. 
The arrest followed accusations that he had forwarded a TikTok video clip to the Chivhu Residents and Ratepayers Association WhatsApp group.
The video, which allegedly showed a woman criticising President Mnangagwa for mismanaging the economy, included derogatory comments about the president and the ruling ZANU PF party.
However, on Friday, March 14, 2025, prosecutors from the National Prosecuting Authority (NPA) withdrew the charges against Maukazuva.
The charges were withdrawn on the basis that they (prosecutors) had not first obtained a certificate to prosecute from the Prosecutor-General, authorising them to pursue legal action against the opposition political party Councillor.
It had been alleged that Maukazuva had unlawfully circulated the TikTok video, which featured disparaging remarks about President Mnangagwa.
The video included an anonymous woman accusing the president of causing “misfortunes” for Zimbabweans and urging him to step down in favour of a “younger” leader.

Pindula News

An opposition councillor named Ishmael Maukazuva was arrested for sharing a video criticizing President Mnangagwa. He spent two days in detention but was later released when prosecutors withdrew the charges. The charges were dropped because the prosecutors did not have the proper authorization to prosecute him. The video Maukazuva shared showed a woman criticizing the president for mismanaging the economy. The woman in the video also urged President Mnangagwa to step down for a younger leader. Maukazuva was represented by a lawyer from the Zimbabwe Lawyers for Human Rights.

Opposition Councillor Arrested For For Sharing Video Criticising Mnangagwa Freed After Prosecutors Withdraw Charges

Police have urged the public to avoid confrontations with officers and making false allegations to garner public sympathy.
This follows a viral video showing police officers allegedly harassing a motorist who reportedly refused to pay a bribe in Masvingo.
However, in a statement, the Zimbabwe Republic Police (ZRP) clarified that the motorist was arrested after evading a police roadblock along the Masvingo-Beitbridge Road and later became confrontational when officers pursued and apprehended him. Said ZRP spokesperson Commissioner Paul Nyathi:
<blockquote>
In [a] video circulating on social media in which two police officers are wrestling with a motorist in Masvingo, the Zimbabwe Republic Police puts on record that the suspect, who was driving a Nissan Vannette Registration number AEL 6423, evaded a police roadblock at the 1 kilometre peg along Masvingo-Beitbridge Road near Craft Center where he was stopped for traffic offences.
A member of the public assisted the police with his private motor vehicle to pursue the suspect to Flo Garages, Masvingo where the suspect became confrontational and violent towards the police while recording a video.
The Police subsequently arrested the suspect for the due processes of the law to be followed.
The Zimbabwe Republic Police implores the public to desist from being confrontational with the police in order to raise false allegations as a way to attract public sympathy.
</blockquote>
According to a Zimbabwe Peace Project (ZPP) report in September 2024, police officers have been involved in nearly 40% of human rights violations, including harassment, intimidation, and unlawful detention of citizens, human rights defenders, and political activists.
More: <a href="https://www.pindula.co.zw/">Pindula News</a>

Police say don't fight with them or lie to get attention. They explain a video of a man fighting with police. The man ran from a checkpoint and got caught. They say he was violent. The police want people to follow the law. They don't like false accusations. The police have been accused of many human rights violations. This includes bullying and holding people unlawfully. It's important to be respectful and follow the rules.

ZRP Warns Against False Allegations Following Bribery Harassment Video

A freelance journalist, James Jemwa, was on Monday taken by soldiers and police in Harare’s Mufakose high-density suburb while conducting his duties lawfully, the Zimbabwe Lawyers for Human Rights (ZLHR) has reported.
Jemwa was allegedly taken into a military truck and forced to delete his footage which he was recording at Gwenyambira shops. ZLHR posted on Twitter:
<blockquote>In Harare’s Mufakose high-density suburb, freelance journalist James Jemwa has been released after being taken into an army truck by soldiers and police officers and was forced to delete his footage which he was recording at Gwenyambira shops.
<img alt="" class="alignnone wp-image-158865 size-full" decoding="async" height="1080" loading="lazy" sizes="(max-width: 607px) 100vw, 607px" src="https://t792ae.c2.acecdn.net/wp-content/uploads/2020/04/WhatsApp-Image-2020-04-13-at-17.42.02.jpeg" srcset="https://news.pindula.co.zw/wp-content/uploads/2020/04/WhatsApp-Image-2020-04-13-at-17.42.02.jpeg 607w, https://news.pindula.co.zw/wp-content/uploads/2020/04/WhatsApp-Image-2020-04-13-at-17.42.02-169x300.jpeg 169w, https://news.pindula.co.zw/wp-content/uploads/2020/04/WhatsApp-Image-2020-04-13-at-17.42.02-576x1024.jpeg 576w" width="607"/></blockquote>
The incident is the latest in a long line of such reports of journalists being hindered by security forces from conducting their duties.
This contradicts a statement by police on March 30, the day on which the national lockdown commenced, that said journalists with expired accreditation cards are free to conduct their duties without interference from law enforcement agents.
The statement was issued after police in Gweru had detained a journalist who was working without valid accreditation.

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