Zimbabwe court dismisses subversion charge against anti-Mugabe pastor

Pastor Evan Mawarire, leader of the protest movement against the Zimbabwean government, was released Wednesday in Harare, following a court decision to reject a charge of subversion that was brought against him.

Mawarire, the originator of the #ThisFlag movement appeared in a Harare court on Wednesday morning after spending Tuesday night in police cells while officers searched his house, church and office in the capital.

The State Prosecutor arraigned him before court with the charge of attempting to overthrow the state via his social media campaign that led to a shut down in most parts of the country last week.

Zimbabwe's pastor Evan Mawarire—man behind #ThisFlag movement is free!
Many have been outside court all day today #FreePastorEvan

— Samira Sawlani (@samirasawlani) July 13, 2016

His lawyer, Harrison Nkomo however accused the state of ambushing the defence by changing the charges against his client without prior notification. The earlier charge against him had to do with inciting public violence until the prosecutor amended it to include attempting to overthrow the Robert Mugabe-led government.

There were over 100 lawyers who thronged the court with the intent to defend him when the case was called.

After the dismissal of the case, Evan Mawarire was greeted outside the court by hundreds of his cheering supporters. Shortly before that however, the judge stated that “further detention of Mawarire was refused.”