The trial of an American journalist working for a British paper and accused of publishing falsehoods opened on Wednesday in Zimbabwe.
Andrew Meldrum of Britain’s The Guardian pleaded not guilty.
His trial is the first test case of a tough new media law enacted by President Robert Mugabe three months ago.
The allegations against Meldrum arose from a story that Mugabe’s supporters had beheaded an opposition supporter in front of her children in April this year.
In his defence, Meldrum would show that he had no intention of publishing falsehood and that the law is being applied selectively, his lawyer, Beatrice Mtetwa told the court.
The defence will argue that allegations of falsehoods in the state media have gone unprosecuted and that other media agencies that reported the story of the beheaded woman were not charged.
So far, only Meldrum and a reporter from the only private daily, The Daily News, are facing prosecution over the story.
Mtetwa also said Meldrum would tell the court that police had refused to comment on the story that a woman was decapitated by ruling Zanu-PF supporters.
Meldrum also complained that he was denied access to legal representation when he was arrested by police on May 1 forcing him to give a statement without his lawyer.
One state witness, a sister to the woman who was allegedly beheaded, was called to give evidence for the state.
The story was initially confirmed by the opposition Movement for Democratic Change (MDC), but later the man claiming to be the dead woman’s husband was found to have fabricated the incident.
The Guardian has printed corrections.
The trial of a Daily News reporter, Lloyd Mudiwa, also facing charges under the media law enacted on March 15, is due to open on June 20.
The accused are out of custody. In all about a dozen journalists have been charged under the media law and the rest await their trial dates to be set.
Meldrum who also works for other foreign media such as CNN and Radio France International (RFI), is a US national but holds permanent residency in Zimbabwe, where he has lived for more than 20 years.
If convicted, he could face up to two years in prison or a Z$100 000 fine. – Sapa-AFP