News / National
Beitbridge Journalist freed on practicing without accreditation charge
05 Mar 2016 at 07:58hrs | Views
Zimbabwe Lawyers for Human Rights has secured freedom for Wellington Mukanhaire, a journalist based in the border town, who was arrested on 11 February 2016 and charged with practising journalism without accreditation from the state-run Zimbabwe Media Commission in contravention of Section 83 (1) of the Access to Information and Protection of Privacy Act (AIPPA) Chapter 10:27.
ZLHR indicated that in court and before Magistrate Gloria Takundwa, Prosecutor Noma Sayi and Jabulani Mberesi, the Acting Public Prosecutor withdrew charges before plea after being convinced by Mukanhaire's lawyer Lizwe Jamela of ZLHR that the section they were charging the journalist under was repealed as a section of AIPPA.
"Jamela had also indicated that the allegations of failure to produce an accreditation card do not amount to a criminal offence in terms of the current AIPPA provisions," said ZLHR.
"Mukanhaire was arrested on 11 February at Beitbridge Border Post and charged practising journalism without accreditation after he allegedly covered Home Affairs Minister Ignatius Chombo's tour of the border post."
ZLHR indicated that in court and before Magistrate Gloria Takundwa, Prosecutor Noma Sayi and Jabulani Mberesi, the Acting Public Prosecutor withdrew charges before plea after being convinced by Mukanhaire's lawyer Lizwe Jamela of ZLHR that the section they were charging the journalist under was repealed as a section of AIPPA.
"Mukanhaire was arrested on 11 February at Beitbridge Border Post and charged practising journalism without accreditation after he allegedly covered Home Affairs Minister Ignatius Chombo's tour of the border post."
Source - Byo24News
