The
Standard reported
that
Rusere,
who
was
arrested
in
connection
with
videos
claiming
that
Zimbabweans
voted
in
Mozambique’s
disputed
October
9
elections,
appeared
at
the
Harare
magistrates
court
on
Christmas
Eve.
He
was
remanded
in
custody
by
Harare
Magistrate
Rufaro
Panavanhu
to
December
30
for
a
bail
application.
Rusere
filed
complaints
before
the
magistrate,
claiming
he
was
blindfolded
and
tortured
upon
his
arrest
before
being
driven
to
Harare
at
night
to
appear
in
court.
He
is
being
charged
with
two
counts
of
violating
immigration
laws
and
the
Data
Protection
Act.
Prosecutors
alleged
that
Rusere
was
residing
in
Botswana
without
a
valid
passport
and
is
currently
of
no
fixed
abode.
They
claimed
that
on
December
23,
2024,
Rusere
was
deported
through
the
Plumtree
border
post
after
being
caught
without
a
valid
passport
in
that
country.
Rusere
is
said
to
have
left
Zimbabwe
on
an
unknown
date
without
possessing
a
valid
passport
and
through
an
unidentified
port
of
entry
or
exit.
It
is
further
alleged
that
on
an
unknown
date,
Rusere
originated
and
distributed
video
messages
meant
to
incite
unrest
in
Zimbabwe
and
other
parts
of
the
SADC
region.
Prosecutors
claimed
that
the
videos
alleged
Zimbabweans
were
caught
on
camera
casting
their
votes
in
Mozambique’s
elections
held
on
October
9.
As
a
result,
some
Zimbabweans
reportedly
responded
on
various
social
media
platforms
by
threatening
to
engage
in
violent
activities
in
solidarity
with
the
opposition
in
Mozambique.
Prosecutors
argued
that
Rusere
was
likely
to
commit
more
offences
because
he
is
the
current
chairperson
of
the
Southern
Africa
Lawyers
for
Human
Rights
Commission.
They
contended
that
if
granted
bail,
Rusere
might
make
public
comments
about
the
situation
in
Mozambique
and
Zimbabwe
to
incite
hatred
and
violence
against
member
states.