MARYLAND - Opposition Transform Zimbabwe leader Jacob Ngarivhume has been sentenced to four years in prison for inciting locals to protest against corruption and the mishandling of the economy by President Emmerson Mnangagwa’s government.
Harare magistrate Harare magistrate, Feresi Chakanyuka, suspended 12 months of the sentence on condition that he may not commit a similar offence.
Ngarivhume will serve an effective 36 months in prison.
His attorney, Professor Lovemore Madhuku told journalists that they will appeal against the prison term and also take the matter to the Constitutional Court as the piece of law, which was used to convict him, is unconstitutional.
Ngarivhume, who pleaded not guilty the charges of inciting violence, said the conviction and sentence were too severe and induced a sense of shock and therefore he will appeal against it.
The court said the state proved beyond reasonable doubt that in July 2020, Ngarivhume used his Twitter account to urge Zimbabweans to protest against corruption and economic decay.
But he denied any wrongdoing saying the account in question did not belong to him.
He was in remand prison for at least two months before the High Court granted him bail. The case has been dragging in the courts for nearly three years.
VOA Zimbabwe Service correspondent Mlondolozi Ndlovu contributed to this article