A Zimbabwe magistrate’s court on Wednesday dropped charges against three journalists accused of publishing falsehoods under the country’s tough media law, according to their paper, The Standard.
Editor Bornwell Chakaodza, reporter Farai Mutsaka and
entertainment editor Fungayi Kanyuchi were arrested in May and have since been repeatedly remanded out of custody, the independent paper said in a statement.
The trio had sought to have the charges dropped if the state failed to fix a trial date for them. But because the charges have been dropped on a technicality, the state can summon them back to court if the need arises, magistrate Garikayi Churu said.
Chakaodza and Mutsaka were facing charges of publishing falsehoods and abusing journalistic privileges over a story alleging that President Robert Mugabe’s government had bought state-of-the-art anti-riot and military gear from an Israeli arms
firm, Beit Alfa Trailer.
With Kanyuchi, Chakaodza faced charges under the country’s censorship laws of publishing revealing pictures of prostitutes to illustrate a story alleging that police officers were having sex with prostitutes instead of arresting them.
”There was never any case at all. It was just sheer political harassment,” Chakaodza said.
Journalists found guilty under the new media law face up to two years in prison or a 100 000 Zimbabwe dollar ($1 818) fine.
Since the law took effect on March 15, 12 journalists have been arrested — some more than once. – Sapa-AFP