Theย Stateย hasย withdrawnย charges against Citizens Coalition for Change (CCC) former Member of Parliament Giftย Ostallosย Siziba in a case where he is accused of defacing aย political posterย belonging toย a rivalย candidate Soneniย Moyo, in the run-up to the August elections.ย
Siziba was charged with other CCC members Aldermanย Earnestย Rafamoyo, Tendaiย Masotsha, Simbarashe Dube and Lovewell Mwinde.ย
Siziba’s lawyer Tinashe Rungangaย of Tanakaย Lawย Chambers confirmed to CITE that the charges were dropped after it was proven that the former Pelandaba MP was not in Bulawayo on the day the offence was allegedly committed. ย
โWhat we did during theย initialย remand of this matter,ย we moved theย applicationย forย the callย history and locationย to beย providedย forย byย Econet,ย called triangulation.ย Itย shows thatย Ostallos was out of Bulawayo on the day andย time,ย soย commencingย trial was going to expose the state, so they were left with noย option but to withdraw charges,โ saidย Runganga.ย
The stateโs case is that on August 16, 2023, at around 12 pm, the accused who were travelling in vehicles stopped at Pelandaba Shops and removed and tore campaign posters belonging to Soneni Moyo which were plastered on walls and ZESA pylons. Whilst in the actย Methuseliย Bhebheย witnessedย this and phoned Moyo who then filed a police report at ZRP Western Commonage.