Journalist to testify against Mugabe challenger

A JOURNALIST and Bulawayo Media Centre chairperson, Pamenus Tuso was on Monday summoned by the police to testify in a case of a new opposition party leader, who was arrested last Friday for allegedly violating immigration laws.

Bulawayo police arrested the United Kingdom-based Innocent Ndibali, the president of the Zimbabwe Economic Freedom Fighters (ZEFF), and charged him for violating immigration laws.

He appeared in court on Monday and his trial continues today.

Tuso confirmed that the police from the Law and Order section summoned him on Monday.

"I can confirm that I had been invited by the police from Law and Order section over the case of a new opposition party leader, who got arrested last Friday. They said I should be a State witness," he said.

Tuso then condemned the police for arresting their suspect at the media centre.

"While we acknowledge that it is within their rights to conduct their duties wherever and whenever and arrest people for whatever reason anywhere and anyhow, we feel they must have arrested him outside the environs of the media centre," he said.

"They took him right from the media centre in the eyes of the journalists. If police have issues with some of our guests, they should arrest them outside the media centre. Some guests will turn down invitations fearing arrest."

Tuso is expected to testify in court today.