A leading opposition leader in Zimbabwe, Tendai Biti has been convicted by a court for flouting electoral laws of the country.
The court found Biti guilty of prematurely announcing the 2018 election results. He was $200 for that offence, failing to pay he will serve seven days in prison.
Biti was also found guilty of declaring MDC leader Nelson Chamisa winner of the election before the Zimbabwe Electoral Commission (Zec) made formal announcements.
For that offence the court imposed a suspended six-month jail term on Tendai Biti.
The magistrate who heard the case Gloria Takundwa said the state prosecutors proved their case beyond reasonable doubt.
Takundwa said in court that “Biti presented his announcement as authentic and his actions had potential to undermine the official announcement by Zec”.
What Biti said in 2018
The Jan 31 press conference that got Tendai Biti convicted of violating electoral law on announcing results. He was fined $200 and got a suspended sentence pic.twitter.com/gOcZyCyucx
— Zim Media Review (@ZimMediaReview) February 18, 2019
Tendai Biti was convicted of contravening the Zimbabwe Electoral Act. The court considers his action an act that undermined the authority of the electoral commission.
The Zimbabwe presidential election in 2018 was however won President Emmerson Mnangagwa. He obtained 50.8% of the vote, while Mr Chamisa secured 44.3%.
FINED!
Tendai Biti will walk out of the Harare Magistrates Court moments from now after magistrate Gloria Takundwa ignored prosecution pleas to jail @BitiTendai for up to a year.
Biti will pay a $200 fine for announcing false election results, the magistrate has ruled
— ZimLive (@zimlive) February 18, 2019
Biti last year also faced charges relating to the post election violence which resulted in the death of six people.
Last year he was arrested at the border with Zambia while trying to cross over to seek asylum.
Tendai Biti is a former finance minister of Zimbabwe and vice chairperson of the opposition MDC.
Source: Africafeeds.com
