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Journalists picked up again
MISA-Zimbabwe
May 21, 2004

Police officers from the Law and Order section re-arrested The Standard editor, Bornwell Chakaodza and reporter Valentine Maponga on 21 May.

The two were picked up at around 5 am from home. Bornwell Chakaodza told MISA-Zimbabwe, this morning that they are still waiting at the Harare central police station. He said the police officers, who were in a meeting, have not indicated anything as to why they have been picked up for the second time this week. The two were arrested on 19 May on charges of having written a false story.

Background
Chakaodza and Maponga were arrested on 19 May 2004. The two were asked to report to the Harare Central police station in the afternoon where they were detained for 5 hours, over a story that appeared in The Standard of 16 May. The story Headlined "Family of Slain boss blames government officials", reads that family members of a mine boss murdered in Harare allege the involvement of seniors government officials in the murder.

The police allege the story was meant to tarnish the image of the government and has charged the two under section 15 (1) of the Public Order and Security Act (POSA).

Section 15 (1) reads:
Any person who, whether inside or outside Zimbabwe, publishes or communicates to any other person a statement which is wholly or materially false with the intention or realizing that there is a risk or possibility of:

(a) Inciting or promoting public disorder or public violence or endangering public safety; or
(b) adversely affecting the defence or economic interests of Zimbabwe; or
(c) undermining public confidence in a law enforcement agency, the Prison Service or the Defence Forces of Zimbabwe; or
(d) interfering with, disrupting or interrupting any essential service;shall, whether or not the publication or communication results in a consequence referred to in paragraph (a), (b), (c) or (d), be guilty of an offence and liable to a fine not exceeding $100,000 or to imprisonment for a period not exceeding five years or to both such fine and such imprisonment.

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