Martin Muleya
Detectives apprehended a Mutare woman last Monday for failing to notify the regulatory authority of a public demonstration.
Prudence Mwazvita Sauriri (43) had been on police radar for some time and authorities finally tracked her down.
Sauriri appeared before regional magistrate Annia Ndiraya charged with Contravening Section 7 (5) of the Maintenance of Peace and Order Act Chapter 11:23 (Convener fails to notify Regulatory Authority of a Public Demonstration.
She was represented by David Tandiri of Tandiri Law Chambers.
It was the State case led by Chris Munyuki that on 16th of June 2025 and at 1100hrs, Sauriri without notifying the Regulatory Authority of Mutare Central District, organized and held a public demonstration at a Moslem church in OTS Sakubva after hiring about twenty people to march, wielding placards chanting and singing “Ndikafunga peyi yangu” and “Tambaoga paroad” thereby disturbing order or security of the public.
In persuading the court to deny bail on the accused, the State invited Detective Assistant Inspector Blessing Ngwende who told the court that Sauriri hired people to march and sing while holding placards and paid them $3 for their participation. He also told the court that Sauriri escaped soon after the commission of the offence and had been on the run for two weeks and her chances of absconding were very high if granted bail. Witnesses who participated in the demonstration were residents of OTS Sakubva and if accused is released she was going to interfere with them.
He noted that Sauriri was not a teacher but was hired by Amalgamated Teachers’ Union of Zimbabwe (ARTUZ) to carry out a demonstration on their behalf and she could still be hired by other organizations which might disturb the peace, security or order of the country.
That the accused was not gainfully employed and could be lured to commit more similar offences. He said police were yet to recover the cellphone that was used to record the demonstration as the cellphone was part of the evidence. He concluded by telling the court that they are in the process of applying for Sauriri’s banking history to ascertain whether she was not being sponsored by other organizations to destabilize or cause chaos in the country.
Ndiraya remanded Sauriri in custody for bail ruling on Thursday.
