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Munyaradzi Musiiwa Midlands Correspondent
SEVEN MDC-T supporters appeared before a Gweru magistrate yesterday for allegedly holding an illegal demonstration in the city centre on Satur- day.

The seven were part of a group of MDC-T supporters who demonstrated against the Zimbabwe Electoral Commission and Zanu-PF.

The demonstration flopped.

Wonderful Marange (46) of Mkoba Village 16, Taurai Mugaga (30) of Mkoba Village 13, Clifford Mulingwa (31) of Mkoba Village 14, Mtulisi Nhoko (37) of No. 4 Casten Farm Guinea Fowl, Ndaba Mangena (22) of Plot 222 Ruby Farm, Faith Chuma (24) of Riverside and a 17-year-old girl of No. 16 Wida Bulawayo Road, were arraigned before provincial magistrate Ms Phathekile Msipa for participating in a gathering with intent to promote public violence.

They were not asked to plead and were remanded to August 27.

Marange, Mugaga, Mulingwa, Nhoko, Mangena and Chuma were remanded out of custody on $100 bail each.

The teenage girl was released into the custody of her mother.

Prosecutor Mr Andrew Marimo alleged that on July 22 at around 11am, the seven were seen among a group of about 20 people gathered at Midlands Hotel by police officers.

“At around 11:30am the group was seen along Robert Mugabe Way, Gweru, singing political songs denouncing the Zimbabwe Electoral Commission, its chairperson and the ruling party.’’

The court heard that as the group reached Eighth Street, police ordered them to disperse but the demonstrators ignored the instruc- tion.

Police managed to arrest the suspects but the rest escaped.