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Daily News journalists served with summons
MISA-Zimbabwe
June 13, 2005

Eight journalists who worked for the now banned Daily News have been served with summons to appear in court on charges of practising journalism without accreditation in terms of the Access to Information and Protection of Privacy Act.

The journalists were initially expected to appear in court on 13 June 2005 but the matter was deferred as more were still to be served with similar summons.

Margaret Chinowaita, Taka Mparutsa, Conway Tutani, Darlington Majonga, Fanwell Jongwe, Pedzisayi Ruhanya, Macdonald Dzirutwe and Cornelia Mabasa, were on 13 June 2005 told by court officials at Harare Magistrates Courts to appear in court on 12 October 2005.

Most of the journalists have since secured employment elsewhere following the closure of the Daily News and Daily News on Sunday after the Supreme Court ruled that Associated Newspapers of Zimbabwe was operating illegally as the publishing company was not registered with the Media and Information Commission as required under AIPPA.

John Gambanga, the editor of the Daily News told MISA-Zimbabwe more journalists from the banned publication were set to appear in court as the police had not been able to serve them with summons because they did not know their residential addresses.

If convicted, the journalists risk spending two years in jail for practising journalism without accreditation in terms of the Act.

A trial date has already been set for 1 August 2005 against their colleague Kelvin Jakachira who is facing similar charges of contravening Section 83 (1) Chapter 10:27 of AIPPA.

Jakachira appeared before Harare magistrate Marehwanazvo Gofa on 28 May 2005 accused of practising journalism without accreditation between 1 January 2003 and 13 September of the same year.

According to the State, Jakachira only stopped practising without accreditation following the Supreme Court judgment in September 2003 which ruled that the Daily News was operating illegally.

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