EIGHT members of a Marondera-based church, Assemblies of God-Spiritual Movement (AoG-SM) who were being accused of obstructing a probation officer from accessing their premises have been acquitted by a Marondera magistrate.
The accused Luckymore Zinyama (58), Farai Maisiri (44), Stallone Chakasviba (23), Prisadge Maisiri (32), Ngoni Zinyama (27), Tadiwa Mutisi (18), Anesu Takunyai (18) and Tamiriraishe Chiwade (16) were arrested after one Brains Muchemwa informed the police that he was being denied access to his three children who are also members of the church prompting law enforcement officers to visit the premises.
Muchemwa's children were, however, in the custody of their mother.
In the ruling, the magistrate found the accused not guilty saying law enforcement agents successfully executed their duties.
“At the end of the day, the government officials who visited the accused's place of worship achieved their objective in the sense that the children were taken to police and the probation officer managed to interview the children meaning it would be far-fetched now to draw an inference that the accused persons hindered the probation officer in the exercise of her duties.
“In the result the court is of the view it is not safe to convict as the probation officer seemed to have achieved her objectives and the accused are found not guilty and are all acquitted,” ruled the magistrate.
The magistrate also ruled that there was insufficient evidence to nail the accused in that in some cases they co-operated with law enforcement agents.
According to the ruling, the children in question were taken to police by the accused persons.
"The social welfare officer also admitted that she interviewed the children. From the admission made by the witness it is clear that she was able to exercise her duties as the children were taken to lawful authorities," part of the ruling read.
According to court papers, the eight were arrested on April 25 at their church premises.