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Zimbabwean High Commissioner threatens and assaults reporter
Media Institute of Southern Africa (MISA)
June 18, 2003

On 11 June 2003, Hloniphani Chengeta, a journalist with the weekly "Sunday Tribune", was assaulted by the Zimbabwean High Commissioner to Botswana, Phelekezela Mphoko.

On 1 June, Chengeta travelled to Zimbabwe to cover the mass demonstrations organised by the opposition Movement for Democratic Change (MDC). The demonstrations were due to start the following day.

Upon his return from Zimbabwe, Chengeta filed a story about the rally he had covered at Barbourfields Stadium in Bulawayo, where a high-ranking delegation from the ruling Zimbabwe African National Union Patriotic Front (Zanu-PF), comprising Information and Publicity Secretary Nathan Shamuyarira and Trade Minister Samuel Mumbengegwi, addressed its supporters.

The article quoted Shamuyarira saying that he had reliable and independent information that Botswana was going to be used as a launch pad in case of intervention to achieve regime change, similar to that in Iraq by the United States (U.S.) and Britain, Chengeta told MISA's Botswana chapter.

The day after the newspaper hit the streets on 9 June, the high commissioner visited the offices of the "Sunday Tribune", where he demanded to see Chengeta. He complained that Chengeta fabricated the story about Shamuyarira and that such a rally never took place. He also demanded that the newspaper print a retraction and inform its readers that the reporter had lied. When Chengeta tried to reason with him and explain that he had nothing to apologise for as he was sure about his facts, Mphoko threatened to beat him up.

The "Sunday Tribune"'s editor and Chengeta later went to see Mphoko and the matter was discussed at length. Mphoko threatened to initiate a lawsuit, but Chengeta remained adamant about his refusal to retract the article.

On 11 June, Mphoko returned to the "Sunday Tribune" offices and demanded to see Chengeta. He walked into the newsroom, where he accused Chengeta of lying about his country and being a MDC and U.S. government agent. Mphoko then jumped on Chengeta, pulled him up by the scruff of his neck, pinned him to the wall and pressed hard against Chengeta's throat in full view of his colleagues. One of his colleagues came to Chengeta's rescue.

"Sunday Tribune" managing editor Masego Butale confirmed the incident and said, "we witnessed Chengeta being choked on the neck. Whether the story was true or false, it does not warrant the high commissioner assaulting him. There are civil ways to settle the matter, unlike resolving it with beatings."

However, in a telephone interview with MISA-Botswana, the high commissioner denied assaulting Chengeta and said there was no rally on the given date, as all meetings scheduled for that day were called off due to the protests.

In a press release sent to MISA-Botswana, the Zimbabwe High Commission stated that it had, "consulted extensively on this issue with various institutions in Zimbabwe and Dr Shamuyarira was never in Bulawayo during that period and did not in any way make the alleged accusations against Botswana . . . the story is thus false and unfounded and should be dismissed with the contempt it deserves."

Butale and Chengeta said they reported the matter to the Gaborone West police, who have since forwarded their findings to Police Commissioner Norman Moleboge. Currently, the matter is under review, as the High Commissioner is covered by diplomatic immunity.

BACKGROUND: The "Sunday Tribune" is a weekly newspaper with a circulation of 10,000. It is locally owned by Bukinemu Enterprises Ltd.

For further information, contact Zoe Titus or Kaitira Kandjii, Regional Information Coordinator, MISA, Street Address: 21 Johann Albrecht Street, Mailing Address; Private Bag 13386 Windhoek, Namibia
Ttel: +264 61 232975, Fax: +264 61 248016, E-mail: research@misa.org or kkandjii@misa.org
Internet: http://www.misa.org

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