Wrongly Convicted Database Record
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Charge: |
Conspiracy to commit public violence |
Sentence: |
24 months with 12 months suspended for 5 yrs for good behavior & 12 months suspended for 5 yrs on condition of performing 420 hrs of community serv & $500 fine or 10 months in prison |
Years Imprisoned: |
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Year Crime: |
2011 |
Year Convicted: |
2012 |
Year Cleared: |
2018 |
U.S. State or Country of Crime: |
Zimbabwe |
County or Region of Crime: |
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City of Crime: |
Harare |
Result: |
Judicially Exonerated |
Summary of Case: |
"Munyaradzi Gwisai, Antonette Choto, Tatenda Mombeyarara, Edson Chakuma, Hopewell Gumbo and Welcome Zimuto were codefendants wrongly convicted on March 19, 2012 of conspriacy to commit public violence in Zimbabwe. Munyaradzi Gwisai was a lecturer at the University of Zimbabwe. Their prosecution was based on the allegation they wre trying to instigate an uprising in Zimbabwe by showing Zimbabweans a video of the Arab spring uprising in Egypt and discussing the uprisings. The media dubbed them the "Zim 6." After their conviction by Harare magistrate Kudakwashe Jarabini following a bench trial, each of the six were sentenced to pay a fine of $500 or spend 10 months in prison, and they were also sentenced to 24 months in prison with 12 months suspended for 5 years on condition of good behavior, and the other 12 months suspended for 5 years upon the condition that each would perform 420 hours of community service. The six appealed. On June 11, 2018 the High Court of Zimbabwe set-aside their convictions on the basis of insufficient evidence." |
Conviction Caused By: |
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Innocence Proved By: |
"On June 11, 2018 the High Court of Zimbabwe set-aside their convictions on the basis of insufficient evidence." |
Defendant Aided By: |
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Compensation Awarded: |
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Was Perpetrator Identified? |
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Age When Imprisoned: |
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Age When Released: |
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Sex: |
Male |
Skin/Ethnicity: |
Black |
Information Source 1: |
"High Court overturns conviction and sentence of activists arrested for plotting to topple Mugabe, By Byo24News Reporter, bulawayo24.com, June 11, 2018" |
Information Location 1: |
https://bulawayo24.com/index-id-news-sc-national-byo-137877.html |
Information Source 2: |
"Zimbabwe activists get community service for viewing Arab Spring videos, By Erin Conway-Smith, GlobalPost, March 21, 2012" |
Information Location 2: |
https://www.pri.org/stories/2012-03-21/zimbabwe-activists-get-community-service-viewing-arab-spring-videos |
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Innocents Database Created and Maintained by Hans Sherrer innocents@forejustice.org