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Editor and two journalists arrested
Media Institute of Southern Africa - Zimbabwe Chapter (MISA-Zimbabwe)
May 16, 2002

The editor of the independent Sunday paper, "The Standard", Bornwell Chakaodza and two journalists, Farai Mutsaka, and Fungai Kanyuchi of the same paper were arrested on May 16, 2002, on allegations of having written "falsehoods"

The three were arrested at around 13h00 by the Criminal Investigations Department for allegedly writing falsehoods about the Zimbabwe Republic Police (ZRP). They are being detained at Harare central police station.

In a May 12 issue of "The Standard", in an article headlined "Police in sex for freedom deals"?, Kanyuchi, the entertainment editor wrote that ZRP officers were having sexual relations with commercial sex workers as a condition for their release. Kanyuchi quoted commercial sex workers who said the police were involved in such behaviour

"These revelations follow an investigation into the operations of some of the city's ladies of the night who say they are part of a "sacred cow network" with the police officers, which sees them providing sex in exchange for freedom from arrest." Kanyuchi wrote in the story.

The story quotes Sergeant Mhondoro of Avondale police station denying the allegations. Mutsaka was arrested over a lead and first page story of the same paper that stated that the Zimbabwe government has acquired an assortment of anti-riot gear and military hardware from Israel. The story headlined "Deadly riot gear arrives" show a picture of one of the riot vehicles that the police has acquired. The reporter contacted the Home Affairs Minister John Nkomo who refused to comment on the basis that he was at a funeral.

"The Standard" management has informed its lawyers Atherstone and Cook of the development. Linda Cook is representing the three journalists.

In a statement to the Zimbabwe chapter of the Media Institute of Southern Africa (MISA-Zimbabwe), Cook said that the three journalists are being charged under the Access to Information and Protection of Privacy Act section 80 (1) subsection 1 (a and b) Section 80 is entitled "abuse of journalistic privilege" it reads: A journalist shall be deemed to have abused his journalistic privilege and committed an offence if he does the following a) Falsifies and fabricates information, b) Published falsehoods, Subsection 2 reads: A person guilty of the offence shall be liable to a fine not exceeding one hundred thousand dollars or to imprisonment for a period not exceeding two years.

Cook told MISA-Zimbabwe that warned and cautioned statements had been recorded from the journalists and that she was still trying to establish whether the police were going keep them for the night or not.

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