News / National
Arrested journalist Simbarashe Sithole fined under duress
12 Feb 2021 at 01:24hrs | Views
Bulawayo24.com journalist Simbarashe Sithole was finally released from police cells after 9 hours of detention at Machipisa police station on Thursday.
The police took 9 hours persuading the journalist to pay RTGS $1000 for allegedly improper masking which he paid under duress.
Having been arrested for unnecessary movement the police changed the charge after police spokesperson Assistant Commissioner Paul Nyathi
Human Rights forum lawyer Nobel Chinhau had to intervene since the police officers were not keen with Sithole's identity.
Speaking to Bulawayo24.com the lawyer said," lntially the charges were of moving unnecessarily at Machipisa Shopping center, then it was newly alleged that he was not properly wearing a mask.
Despite my explanation to my police officers as his lawyer that journalists are allowed to move freely they insisted that the accused had to appear in court after 48hours".
Sithole opted to pay the fine considering the pandemic of Covid-19 amidst the world versus the conditions in the cells where there is no social distancing.
The police took 9 hours persuading the journalist to pay RTGS $1000 for allegedly improper masking which he paid under duress.
Having been arrested for unnecessary movement the police changed the charge after police spokesperson Assistant Commissioner Paul Nyathi
Speaking to Bulawayo24.com the lawyer said," lntially the charges were of moving unnecessarily at Machipisa Shopping center, then it was newly alleged that he was not properly wearing a mask.
Despite my explanation to my police officers as his lawyer that journalists are allowed to move freely they insisted that the accused had to appear in court after 48hours".
Sithole opted to pay the fine considering the pandemic of Covid-19 amidst the world versus the conditions in the cells where there is no social distancing.
Source - Tarisai Mudahondo
