Zimbabwe man fined for Mugabe death joke

A Zimbabwe court fined a man $150 (120 euro) for joking that President Robert Mugabe had died, a daily newspaper reported Thursday. Cleapas Manangazira, 34, was convicted for undermining the authority of the president in a court in central city Gweru.
Manangazira joked to police about Mugabe's death when the bus he was travelling in stopped at a tollgate on the road to Gweru, according to the privately-owned NewsDay. "Why are you police officers sitting here. Don't you know the President is dead," prosecutors quoted Manangazira as saying. "We are coming from putting a tombstone on Mugabe's grave. Did you hear me people? Mugabe is dead." Bus drivers tried to silence him but the man went on joking about the long-time ruler. The conductors then told the bus driver to take Manangazira to Gweru police station, where he was arrested.