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State drops charges against editor
MISA-Zimbabwe
August 19, 2005

The State has withdrawn charges against the former editor of the weekly Standard newspaper, Bornwell Chakaodza and reporter, Valentine Maponga, on allegations of publishing false statements prejudicial to the State.

The charges under Section 15 (1) of the Public Order and Security Act (POSA), were withdrawn on 18 August 2005. The offence carries a five-year prison term or a fine of Z$100 000, or both fine and imprisonment.

The State said it would be proceeding by way of summons.

The State was alleging that on 16 May 2004, Chakaodza and Maponga published a story that was likely to incite public disorder or public violence.

The Standard had reported that the family of Trojan Mine boss Dr Leonard Chimimba had blamed some unnamed government officials for his death.

Chimimba was gunned down outside his home in Harare. The story implicated some government officials as being behind the murder as Chimimba allegedly had information on the theft of nickel at the mine.

Chakaodza and Maponga were on Z$500 000 bail each.

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