The High Court in Harare has set free, Timothy Chiminya, a controversial traditional leader, who refers himself as King Munhumutapa, who had spent more than two months in prison, after he was convicted and sentenced to serve 10 months behind bars, for allegedly undermining authority of or insulting President Emmerson Mnangagwa.
Chiminya was convicted by a Harare Magistrate, Tapiwa Kuhudzai on 10 November 2025 and sentenced on 13 November 2025 to serve jail time after he stood trial following his arrest on 16 December 2024 in Harare, where he was charged with undermining the authority of the President in contravention of section 33 of the Criminal Law (Codification and Reform) Act (Chapter 9:23).
During trial at Harare Magistrates Court, prosecutors alleged that Chiminya insulted the authority of the President by purporting to appoint traditional Chiefs, which is a preserve for the President. He was also accused of purporting to dethrone some traditional chiefs in Zimbabwe.
This led to his conviction by Magistrate Kuhudzai, who sentenced him to serve 10 months in prison, two of which were suspended for a period of five years on condition of good behavior, which meant that he would serve an effective eight months in prison.
Through his lawyer, Gift Mtisi from Zimbabwe Lawyers for Human Rights, Chiminya then filed an application for his release from prison on bail, pending the hearing and determination of his appeal against both conviction and sentence, which was opposed by law officers from the Prosecutor-General’s Office.
On 4 February 2026, High Court Judge Justice Davison Foroma set Chiminya free after granting his application for bail pending the determination of his appeal against conviction and sentence and ordered him to deposit US$200 with the Clerk of Court at Harare Magistrates Court and to continue residing at his given residential address.
Justice Foroma also ordered Chiminya to report once every month at a local police station until his appeal against both conviction and sentence is determined and to attend the hearing of his appeal in person until his matter is finalised.
