Ruling on today for ‘poster-defacing’ CCC activists

A BULAWAYO magistrate is set to make a ruling today in a case in which three Citizens Coalition for Change (CCC) activists face a charge of defacing campaign posters for Soneni Moyo, who is linked to self-styled party interim secretary-general Sengezo Tshabangu.

Former councillor Ernest Rafamoyo (55), Simbarashe Dube (39) and Lovewell Mwinde were charged for defacing Soneni Moyo’s posters ahead of the August 2023 elections.

They were arrested together with former CCC deputy spokesperson Gift “Ostallos” Siziba (30) and Tendai Masocha (48).

Siziba contested the Tshabalala-Pelandaba seat as CCC candidate against CCC’s double candidate Moyo and won overwhelmingly. Tshabangu later recalled Siziba. Last month, Bulawayo magistrate Shephard Mjanja found Siziba and Masocha not guilty of the charge and acquitted them.

Mjanja, however, ruled that Rafamoyo, Dube and Mwinde should be put to trial.

On April 2, the three appeared before the same magistrate and the matter has been set for judgment today after the State closed its case.

It is the State’s case that on August 16 at 12 noon, the three accused persons were at Pelandaba shops, where they removed and tore posters of Moyo.

The court heard that the act was witnessed by Methuseli Bhebhe, who informed Moyo.

It is alleged that Moyo reported the matter to the police, leading to their arrest.

Tshabangu snatched the CCC from Nelson Chamisa after claiming to be the interim secretarygeneral of the party since its inception in January 2022.

Chamisa has since quit the CCC citing infiltration by Zanu PF proxies, particularly Tshabangu.

Tshabangu has denied claims of being a Zanu PF spy.

The CCC has since split into two factions — one linked to Tshabangu and another to Chamisa.