HARARE magistrate Collet Ncube, who convicted member for opposition Citizens Coalition for Change (CCC) party leader Jameson Timba and 34 party activists, yesterday handed the opposition members a wholly suspended sentence.
Timba was given a two-year wholly suspended sentence and ordered not to repeat the same offence.
In his sentence, Ncube said most of the convicts were poor people while some of them are breadwinners, hence it was of the interest of justice to give a wholly suspended sentence.
The group was facing allegations of breach of peace.
In his ruling on judgment, Ncube said the court found that Timba’s defence was weak and high improbable considering that people were gathering at his residence at the time police fired tear smoke following reports of violence.
The magistrate expressed dissatisfaction with Timba’s attempt to distance himself from the events, emphasising that it was unlikely he could completely disengage from an occurrence he played a role in enabling.
Timba and the 34 members were arrested at his Avondale house on a charge of holding an illegal gathering with intent to cause public violence.
But they were commemorating the Day of the Africa Child, according to party officials.
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