Evan Mawarire has been released from police custody amidst public jubilation, after exaggerated charges of treason brought against him were discharged by the courts. Mawarire, who was arrested on Tuesday, July 12, was made to spend the night in jail while his house, church and office were searched by the police. The police thereafter changed Mawarire’s initial charge of instigating public disorder, to plotting to overthrow the sitting government, after reportedly finding evidence at the activist’s residence.

To the utter disappointment and amazement of Mawarire’s antagonists and supporters, the new charge conceived by the police – allegedly backed by Mugabe’s government – did not stand in court. It turned out Mawarire was unaware of his latest criminal offence before arriving in court, and presiding Magistrate Vakayi Chikwekwe made sure to point out the illegalities of switching a charge against an individual without their knowledge. If Mawarire had been found guilty of treason, he faced a 20-year prison sentence.

As at yesterday, it seemed as if Mawarire’s arrest had left Zimbabweans defeated against the oppressing government they despise, when the follow up two-day strike spearheaded by Mawarire did not hold as planned. Rather than “stay at home” and achieve a repeat performance of last week’s eventful #ThisFlag protests, Zimbabweans appeared to have given into the government’s threats to punish protestors and went about their daily businesses.

However, the turn out and display in front of the court in Harare yesterday proved that Zimbabweans had no plans to give up on their demands, or on the man that showed them they could stand up to the government.

The move by the Zimbabwean government to eliminate Mawarire from the picture by conjuring up charges against him in absentia and thus frustrate the efforts of their people, achieved a dead on arrival status with Mawarire’s stunning victory in court yesterday. His good fortune in the face of the law has been described as a ‘record breaking trial’ by some, based on the true grit displayed by himself and his legal team.

Addressing the crowd that gathered to support him outside the courts yesterday, Mawarire expressed his gratitude to them over their act of solidarity. He reminded them that the country they have united to fight for will benefit their children, and encouraged them to continue in the struggle to build Zimbabwe.