President Mnangagwa indicated last week that whoever spread the fake news had to be made an example of, with the criminal offense now punishable at level 14, which means up to twenty years in jail.
THE Criminal Investigation Department (CID) have arrested a 30-year-old man, Lovemore Zvokusekwa, and charged him with publishing on WhatsApp platforms falsehoods that President Emmerson Mnangagwa had extended the initial 21-day lockdown by thirteen days.
Police have also seized the Huawei 6Pro mobile device used by the suspect as well as the SIM card he was using, together with the messages he authored and shared.
President Mnangagwa indicated last week that whoever spread the fake news had to be made an example of, with the criminal offense now punishable at level 14, which means up to twenty years in jail.
“That is absolutely nonsense, I have never made such a statement,” President Mnangagwa said in Midlands Province last week regarding the fake message which went viral.
“If we catch this person, it must be exemplary and they must go in for at least at level 14, which is 20 years’ imprisonment. That, I think we need to demonstrate that we don’t want false news to be circulated.”
President Mnangagwa announced a 21-day lockdown on March 30, in a bid to contain the spread of the virus.
As the initial 21 days of lockdown were Expiring Sunday, he extended the lockdown by a further two weeks, saying that the country was yet to meet World Health Organization benchmarks for the lifting of coronavirus emergency measures>chaosafrica