Cop in court for State House tresspass

Zim Now Writer

A police officer who entered State House demanding to meet President Emmerson Mnangagwa has been released from custody but remains charged with trespassing.

Obatange Nyapfere, who is suspected to have a mental illness, was remanded into the care of his wife following a court appearance.

According to the prosecution, on January 28, Nyapfere, who is stationed at ZRP Chikurubi Camp, drove onto the State House premises in a Toyota Corolla and insisted on seeing the President. Despite being ordered to leave, he refused to comply and was subsequently arrested.

Magistrate Appollonia Marutya presided over the case.

The case of Nyapfere is not isolated, as there have been a number of arrests around the world for a similar crime. In 2019, a man was arrested in Kenya for unlawfully entering State House in Nairobi, claiming he had urgent business with President Uhuru Kenyatta. He was charged with trespassing and later declared mentally unstable.

In 2022, a woman was detained in Ghana after bypassing security at Jubilee House, the presidential palace, while demanding to meet President Nana Akufo-Addo. Authorities later confirmed she had no official appointment and was charged with unauthorized entry.

Similarly, in the United States, the White House has seen multiple breaches over the years. In 2014, a man named Omar Gonzalez scaled the White House fence and managed to enter the building before being apprehended. He was later found to have mental health issues.