Bishop Eric Ruwona and four others, including members of the Anglican Diocese of Manicaland’s standing committee, were cleared of charges that they had violated the Education Act in Zimbabwe.
The allegations against them were that they had ordered principals at their church-run schools to collect fees from parents who wanted to enroll their children, which is against the law.
The prosecution argued that the five individuals had contravened the Education Act by forcing parents to pay fees at Anglican schools, while the defense lawyers claimed that they did not break any laws.
The defense team, led by Mutare lawyers Passmore Nyakureba and Ashley Mutungura, presented their case and convinced the court that the accused were innocent.
The magistrate, Pathekile Msipa, accepted the defense’s arguments and acquitted all five individuals, finding them not guilty of violating the Education Act.
The acquittal means that Bishop Ruwona and his colleagues will not face any further punishment or penalties for the alleged offense.
SOURCE : NEWSREPORTZIM.COM
