Unlicensed Zimbabwean newspaper operator fined $50

A HWANGE man is lucky to have survived a jail term after he published a community newspaper without an operating licence, an offence that attracts 18 months imprisonment, a US$5 000 fine or both.

Cheusi Lemani (55) from 291 Chibondo village in Hwange was arraigned before provincial magistrate, Miss Lindiwe Maphosa, for contravening Section 72 of the Access to Information and Protection of Privacy Act chapter 10:27 "Operating mass media service without registration certificate".

Circumstances are that between 22 and 28 June 2012, Lemani published and distributed a community newspaper entitled NewsMat in Hwange area without a registration certificate from the Zimbabwe Media Commission.

Following a tip-off, detectives from the Law and Order Section carried out investigations which confirmed that the newspaper was not registered leading to his arrest.

Five copies of the newspaper were recovered and produced in court as evidence.

In his defence, Lemani who pleaded guilty to the charge, said he had committed the crime out of ignorance of the country's media laws and also wanted to help unemployed youths in the area who had potential to make a difference in the community.

He pleaded with the court to be lenient with him as he was a breadwinner and was in the process of registering the paper.

Miss Maphosa fined him US$50 as he was a first offender of which failure to pay would result in a three months imprisonment.

Mr Sifelumusa Fuzane appeared for the state.