Zimbabwean protest pastor returns to court in September

A Harare court has set September 25 as the date for the trial against activist Pastor Evan Mawarire who is accused of violence and attempted sabotage of the Zimbabwean government.

The trial will commence at the Harare High Court on the said date, Magistrate Babra Chimboza declared on Thursday despite appeal by Mawarire for the case to be referred to the Constitutional Court, local media report.

He insists that he did not commit any offence by protesting against the government.

Mawarire was arrested by police in February 2017 while returning from a six-month exile in South Africa where he had fled after he had been briefly locked up.

The pastor made a name for himself in April 2016 by publishing a video that quickly became viral on the Internet in which he appeared with the Zimbabwean flag in a sling to denounce the corruption of the regime and the difficult living conditions of the population.

He is also accused of using social media to urge Zimbabweans across the globe to revolt against President Robert Mugabe. He was released on bail after spending some time in jail.

Although not affiliated with any political party, Mawarire has announced that he was considering running for the 2018 general election against President Mugabe.