Zimbabwe’s former finance minister and senior opposition politician Tendai Biti was on Monday convicted and fined $200 for unlawfully and falsely announcing the results of last year’s presidential election that was won by Emmerson Mnangagwa. Biti, vice chairman of the main opposition Movement for Democratic Change (MDC) party, was charged last year after announcing that MDC leader Nelson Chamisa had won the presidential election. Biti’s lawyer Alec Muchadema, who paid the $200 fine, said he would appeal against the conviction and sentence. It’s unacceptable what is happening, we will keep on fighting,” Biti told reporters outside the courthouse. Chamisa said Biti was being persecuted for telling the truth and that the former finance minister was one of many MDC leaders being targeted by Mnangagwa’s government in a bid to cripple the opposition.

Source: Nigerian Tribune February 18, 2019 11:15 UTC