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Botswana news crew arrested
MISA-Zimbabwe
May 04, 2006

Beauty Mokoba and Keketso Seofela, journalists with Botswana Television, were on 30 April 2006 arrested and detained for two days in Zimbabwe’s south-western border town of Plumtree and charged with violating the Access to Information and Protection of Privacy Act (AIPPA).

Reporter Mokoba and cameraman Seofela, were charged under AIPPA for practicing journalism in Zimbabwe without accreditation and violating the country’s immigration laws.

The journalists risk spending two years in jail if convicted under AIPPA for practicing journalism in Zimbabwe without being accredited by the statutory government-controlled Media and Information Commission.

The news crew was only able to return to Botswana on 2 May 2006 following their release and subsequent appearance before a Plumtree magistrate. They were each granted $4 million bail. They were remanded to appear in court for trial in Plumtree on 23 May 2006.

Kucaca Phulu a Zimbabwean lawyer who is a Member of the Media Lawyers Network established by MISA-Zimbabwe represented the two journalists.

The pair was arrested in Plumtree while allegedly covering the recent outbreak of a foot-and-mouth disease and the possible cross-border cattle rustling between the two countries as possible causes for the spread of the epidemic.

The journalists risk spending two years in jail if convicted under AIPPA for practicing journalism in Zimbabwe without being accredited by the statutory government-controlled Media and Information Commission.

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