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Bulawayo woman accused of practicing journalism without accreditation
MISA-Zimbabwe
April 15, 2008

A 60-year old Bulawayo woman Margaret Ann Kriel who was arrested in the city on 10 April 2008 on allegations of practicing journalism without accreditation in terms of the repressive Access to Information and Protection of Privacy Act (AIPPA) has been remanded out of custody on bail.

Kriel who is facing charges of practicing as a journalist without accreditation in contravention of a section of the Access to Information and Protection of Privacy Act as amended last year was not formally charged and was remanded out of custody to 22 April 2008 on $100 million bail.

She should reside at her given address until the finalization of her case and was ordered to surrender her travel documents to the Clerk of the Criminal Court.

According to reports from Bulawayo, the court heard that between 14 February and 10 April, Kriel in the company of Robin Lee Kriel and an unidentified person went around at various places in the city and surrounding areas carrying out interviews.

Robin and the unidentified person are still at large, the court heard.

The State alleges that they interviewed Mr David Coltart of MDC-Mutambara and Ms Thokozani Khupe of MDC-Tsvangirai.

They allegedly also interviewed members of the public on the outcome of the elections, who they voted for and how they felt about the situation.

The State will seek to prove that they carried out these activities pretending to be accredited journalists when they were not.

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