HARARE, Zimbabwe – A Zimbabwean magistrate has acquitted top human rights lawyer Beatrice Mtetwa on charges of obstructing justice and being unruly to police officers.
Mtetwa has been on trial since June after she was arrested in March on charges of using abusive language toward officers who were searching the house of an official from the opposition party of former Prime Minister Morgan Tsvangirai.
Mtetwa denied any wrongdoing saying she merely asked for a search warrant from the police after they failed to show her one.
But the state alleged in court that she shouted "at the top of her voice," saying what they were doing was "unconstitutional, illegal and unlawful."
Harare magistrate Rumbidzai Mugwagwa on Tuesday declared Mtetwa not guilty and ruled that there is no evidence of the charges against her.