HARARE - Zimbabwe Human Rights Association (ZimRights) has appeared before the Harare Magistrates’ Courts for allegedly manufacturing fake copies of voter registration certificates.

ZimRights, which is represented by its national director Okay Machisa, appeared before magistrate Tendai Mahwe on forgery and conspiracy to commit fraud charges or publishing false statements prejudicial to the State.

Dorcas Shereni, 42, Leo Chamahwinya, 28, Farai Bhani, 38, and Tatenda Chinaka are separately charged with the same offence and have already appeared in court.

It is alleged Machisa, acting in connivance with the four, produced fake copies of voter registration certificates between May last year and this month, in a bid to defraud the Registrar General of Zimbabwe department.

The court heard they used false names to complete the registration forms.

It is alleged that Bhani registered as a voter in May last year and acquired a certificate of registration, which the four used to create several fake ones.

According to court papers, Chamahwinya would use the completed fake documents at ZimRights offices for their analysis, which they would use to criticise and tarnish the image of the Registrar General’s office.

The court heard there was a possibility that the misrepresentation would cause “bloodshed or a chaotic situation in Zimbabwe” if the fake documents were only detected during the 2013 general lections. - Ivan Zhakata