Julius Magarangoma, the MDC Manicaland provincial chairperson was today acquitted of false charges of attempted murder while police in Bulawayo yesterday raided the home of Luveve MP, Hon. Reggie Moyo.

Magarangoma was facing flimsy charges of threatening to murder a Buhera North headman, Mutizwa Mhondiwa of Mhondiwa village under Chief Chitsunge.

Mutare magistrate, Yeukai Chigodora acquitted Magarangoma saying that the State had failed to find any incriminating evidence against the accused.

The defence counsel was led by Trust Maanda, Blessing Nyamaropa and Passmore Tandire.

Magarangoma was last October charged with contravening Section 186 (1) as read with Section 47 of the Criminal Law (Codification and Reform) Act by Detectives from the Law and Order Section at Mutare Central Police Station.

The State was alleging that Magarangoma had threatened to kill Mutizwa Mhondiwa on 1 October 2010 at Manyadza homestead, in Mhondiwa village under Chief Chitsunge in Buhera.

Meanwhile in Bulawayo, heavily armed police officers with a search warrant raided the residence of Hon. Moyo searching for subversive, military and communications material. The armed police driving a Mazda truck descended on Hon Moyo's home while he was away in Harare on parliamentary business.

The police are said to have threatened Hon. Moyo's family before turning the house upside down.

The search follows outbursts from the police spokesperson Charity Charamba on Tuesday announcing a ban on radios that receive shortwave signals.

"Seven armed police detectives from Bulawayo Central's Law and Order Section in a Mazda vehicle raided my home in Luveve suburb yesterday afternoon.

I was not at home since I am in Harare on parliamentary business but they told my wife that they were looking for military equipment and communication devices which include radios. They harassed my wife and children asking them several unnecessary questions, but found nothing," Hon Moyo said.

Last Saturday, police in Gwanda raided the home of former Gwanda North MP Hon. Thandeka Zinti Mkandla accusing him of keeping subversive material which includes these radios.

Meanwhile, Buhera North MDC official, Peter Madzivanyika has been summoned to appear before Murambinda magistrates' court for allegedly violating the Public Order and Security Act (POSA) in 2011.

Madzivanyika of Madzivanyika village in Dorowa was on Wednesday served with summons to appear before a Murambinda magistrate on 27 February to answer to charges of failing to notify the police of holding a public meeting.

The summons whose CR Number is recorded as 01/02/11 alleges that on 25 January 2011 at Redzo township in Dorowa, Madzivanyika unlawfully convened a public meeting without notifying the local regulating authority.

In Mahusekwa, Chihota, Marondera West, Eddington Magwenzi, the MDC district chairperson was arrested this morning at his home on charges of holding an illegal meeting. He is currently detained at Mahusekwa Police Station.

The MDC notes with grave concern the increase in the unwarranted arrests of its members across the country on false charges. Zanu PF has decided to use State security to fight on its behalf and arrest MDC and civil society members on false charges. Zanu PF is once again exposing itself as a party that will never transform into a truly modern party like the MDC.

The MDC wonders why the police and the Attorney General are keen to arrest MDC and civil society members at will, while ignoring known Zanu PF officials and supporters who have been implicated in political violence, which led to the death of over 500 MDC members in 2008.

However, the MDC and its members will not be distracted in their last mile towards real transformation. The surge in intimidation, harassment and persecution of leadership alike, clearly shows that Zanu PF is in panic mode and would like to discourage the people's march towards real change. However, the people's determination is far much greater than the obstacles Zanu Pf is trying to present.