Zimbabwean police say they have already prepared a docket for Acie Lumumba, who dropped an f-word on President Robert Mugabe when he officially launched his Viva Zimbabwe party last week.
According to the privately-owned Standard newspaper, family members of the leader of the newly formed party suspect that he was allegedly abducted by state security agents on the same day he dropped the f-word on Mr. Mugabe.
Lumumba blamed the 92 year-old Zimbabwean leader for all the social and economic problems, which are currently bedeviling the nation.
Senior Assistant Commissioner Charity Charamba dismissed reports that Lumumba was arrested last Thursday, noting that, in fact, they are looking for him as police have already opened a docket, to charge him for insulting the president.
Charamba said Lumumba should surrender to the police to face charges of insulting the president. But some family members and close party colleagues allege that Lumumba, a former Zanu PF activist, has been abducted by state security agents.
Charamba said Lumumba undermined the authority of the president when he dropped the f-word on Mr. Mugabe in contravention of Section 33 of the Criminal Law (Codification and Reform) Act Chapter 9:23.
In this section, anyone can be punished for making a “statement in a public place or any place to which the public or any section of the public have access and publishing it in any printed or electronic medium for reception by the public; ‘statement’ includes any act or gesture.
“Any person who publicly, unlawfully and intentionally— (a) makes any statement about or concerning the President or an acting President with the knowledge or realising that there is a real risk or possibility that the statement is false and that it may— (i) engender feelings of hostility towards; or - 33 - (ii) cause hatred, contempt or ridicule of; the President or an acting President, whether in person or in respect of the President’s office; or (b) makes any abusive, indecent or obscene statement about or concerning the President or an acting President, whether in respect of the President personally or the President’s office; shall be guilty of undermining the authority of or insulting the President and liable to a fine not exceeding level six or imprisonment for a period not exceeding one year or both.”