Leading Zimbabwean politician Tendai Biti has been convicted of illegally declaring opposition leader Nelson Chamisa the winner of last year’s disputed presidential election.
Mr Biti violated electoral legislation by preempting the official announcement, and undermined the authority of the electoral commission, a magistrate ruled.
He has not yet been sentenced.
At least six people were killed two days after the 30 July vote in clashes between security forces and opposition MDC Alliance supporters who alleged that Mr Chamisa had been robbed of victory.
The commission declared President Emmerson Mnangagwa the winner of the election – the first since long-serving Robert Mugabe was forced to step down in 2017 under pressure from the military.
Mr Biti – a former finance minister – was at the forefront of rejecting the result, and was detained at the time after his attempt to get asylum in Zambia failed.
According to the official results, Mr Mnangagwa obtained 50.8% of the vote, compared with Mr Chamisa’s 44.3%.
The remaining votes went to 21 other candidates.
