Chizuzu charged under Cyber and Data protection Act
A CRIMINAL case has been opened against a former sports journalist for allegedly transmitting false data messages intending to cause harm against former Zimbabwe Football Association (Zifa) vice president, and Member of Parliament for Vungu, Omega Sibanda.
Hope Chizuzu was charged with contravening Section 164(C) (Transmission of false data messages intending to cause harm) of the Cyber and Data Protection Act (Chapter 11:22) and will be summoned to appear in court at a date yet to be determined.
Initially Chizuzu was asked to appear at the Tredgold Magistrates Court in Bulawayo last Tuesday over the charges, but the case was postponed after the Prosecutor’s office asked the police investigating officer to redo the charge sheet and align it with the Cyber and Data Protection Act which became law late last year.
According to Section 164(C) of the Cyber and Data Protection Act, “any person who unlawfully and intentionally by means of a computer or information system makes available, broadcasts or distributes data to any other person concerning an identified or identifiable person knowing it to be false with intent to cause psychological or economic harm shall be guilty of an offence and liable to a fine not exceeding level 10 or to imprisonment for a period not exceeding five years or to both such fine and such imprisonment”.
Chizuzu is accused of bullying and insulting Sibanda through his social media sports page on Facebook and the case which was reported at Hillside Police Station CR45/05/22 and PPs REF 6038/22 was postponed to a later date where the accused person will be summoned to court after the state has gathered all the evidence and further statements from witnesses compiled.
The state said the seven witnesses who were fingered in Chizuzu’s social media posts against Sibanda should have their statements taken and the docket brought back to court. Chizuzu is charged with disseminating deliberately false information about Sibanda under the Data Protection Act Section 164 (Transmission of data message inciting violence or damage to property).
In one of the messages, Chizuzu alleges that former Zifa president Philip Chiyangwa, Felton Kamambo, Philemon Machana and Sibanda had an account domiciled in South Africa which they used to siphon Zifa funds.
In yet another message, Chizuzu alleged Sibanda was insulting, fighting and disrespecting two Cabinet Ministers who are also fellow Members of Parliament.
— @RealSimbaJemwa