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Trial of journalist continues
MISA-Zimbabwe
August 18, 2005

A Harare magistrate will on 31 August 2005 deliver judgment in the trial of Kelvin Jakachira, the Daily News journalist charged with practising journalism without accreditation.

Magistrate Prisca Chigumira reserved judgment on 17 August 2005 after Jakachira was put to his defence and cross-examined by the State.

This followed her dismissal of the defence's application for acquittal after the State had led evidence from its sole witness, Media and Information Commission (MIC) chairman, Dr Tafataona Mahoso.

Chigumira dismissed defence lawyer Beatrice Mtetwa's application saying the State had led reliable evidence and that Jakachira should be put to his defence.

The Daily News journalist is being charged under Section 83 (1) Chapter 10:27 of the Access to Information and Protection of Privacy Act (AIPPA) which deals with practising journalism without accreditation.

Jakachira who applied for accreditation but did not receive any response from Mahoso, is accused of practising journalism without being accredited with the MIC between January 2003 and September 2003.

Mahoso conceded under cross-examination that he had not responded to Jakachira's application, but had rejected wholesale, the applications filed by the Daily News journalists because their publishing company, Associated Newspapers of Zimbabwe (ANZ) was not registered with the MIC.

However, in terms of Section 82 of AIPPA, once one has applied for accreditation one is entitled to continue practising while awaiting for a determination from the MIC.

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