Hurungwe West by-election independent candidate Temba Mliswa, who was arrested on Tuesday on allegations of defacing campaign posters of his rival and Zanu-PF candidate Kieth Guzah has been released.
Mliswa was released yesterday after the State felt that the docket needed further management.
His lawyer Mr Musindo Hungwe said he was released without appearing in court due to the weakness of the case.
“My client Temba Mliswa has been released without appearing in court because we agreed with the prosecution that the charge and facts that constitute the case were not sufficient to warrant the placing of someone on remand,” he said.
“We agreed that the case needs to be referred to the police so that they can approach the court with evidence that links my client to the commissioning of the crime.”
The matter will now proceed by way of summons.
Charges preferred against Mliswa were that he was heard instructing unidentified men to pull down campaign posters belonging to Cde Guzah.
The other charge of assault that had initially been raised was thrown away due to lack of evidence. Mliswa, the former Zanu-PF Mashonaland West chairman, was arrested at a roadblock between Magunje and Karoi while driving towards Chinhoyi. Mliswa has been having a brush with the law of late and was arrested last month for disturbing a Zanu-PF sanctioned rally at Nyamhunga Primary School in Hurungwe West.
He was also recently arrested for allegedly stealing firearms from a farmer in Karoi, but was acquitted.
