Controversial former ZANU PF member and chairman of VIVA Zimbabwe, Acie Lumumba has been remanded in police custody for insulting President Mugabe .
Lumumba who has been on police wanted list after dropping the F word on president Mugabe today handed himself over to the police.
Upon arrival at Harare Central Police station,the youthful politician who was in the company of his lawyer and Viva Zimbabwe spokesperson was immediately presented with the summons of arrest.
He was charged with undermining and insulting the authority of the president under the Criminal Law (Codification and reform) Act [CHAPTER 9:23] which criminalizes Undermining authority of or insulting the President
Section 9:23 2(b) states that “any person who 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.
At the time of his ill-advised rant, Lumumba boasted of having “a squad of experienced lawyers” who would fight in his corner, should he be arrested.
Watch video below Lumumba drops the F word on Mugabe
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VVF68U4go6k
The Zanu PF youth wing responded by saying Lumumba had “crossed the line” by insulting President Mugabe and should consequently be severely punished for such misdemeanor.
Meanwhile, VIVA Zimbabwe spokesperson Agency Gumbo said Lumumba’s arrest would not dissuade the struggle against governments’ misrule .
“The arrest of Acie Lumumba does not deter our fight to see an end to this regime, a regime which has failed its people.
“There is an uprising that is growing slowly and it shows the frustration within the people, they are fed up with how they are treated. As VIVA we want to assure the nation that we are here for them,” said Ngwenya.
He also said Lumumba will be appearing for a bail hearing tomorrow or on Wednesday and urged his supporters to remain united “in these trying time”
However , Gumbo was whisked away by the police for questioning for supposedly addressing the media outside police premises and without clearance.
