Underwear donated recently by Zimbabwean First Lady Grace Mugabe to Zanu-PF supporters was brand new, not second hand, lawyers say.
State prosecutors made the revelation in a case brought against NewsDay reporter Kenneth Nyangani, who was arrested on Monday and charged with being a “criminal nuisance” for reporting that ruling party MP Esau Mupfumi distributed second hand underwear and night dresses to Zanu-PF supporters on behalf of the first lady at the weekend.
“According to prosecutors, Mupfumi donated some ‘brand new goods’ which were sourced by Grace Mugabe and these included some men’s boxer shorts, some pairs of sandals and some T-shirts and hand bags,” said the Zimbabwe Lawyers for Human Rights (ZLHR).
The group is defending Nyangani, who spent two nights in police custody. The reporter was finally released on Wednesday on $200 bail.
“The State charged that the NewsDay article caused ordinary discomfort, hurt and humiliation to Mupfumi and the Zanu-PF supporters, who were the recipients of the donated goods,” the ZLHR said.
