Journalist Gideon Madzikatidze's bid for freedom denied as court withholds reasons

HARARE - Bulawayo24 journalist Gideon Madzikatidze's application for refusal of further remand has been dismissed by Harare magistrate Tapiwa Kuhudzayi, who delivered the ruling without providing reasons, further extending a case that media freedom advocates say highlights the weaponisation of the justice system against journalists in Zimbabwe.

Madzikatidze's lawyer, Godwin Giya, confirmed the development shortly after the ruling.
"The application for refusal of further remand was heard before Magistrate Tapiwa Kuhudzayi and was refused. No reasons were advanced by the court for the refusal," Giya said.
"The matter was thereafter remanded to 29 October 2026 for a possible trial date," he told journalists.
Giya said the defence team subsequently applied for a variation of bail conditions, which was granted.
"As a result, Mr Gideon Madzikatidze is now required to report once every two weeks, as opposed to the previous reporting frequency," he said.
However, the State has yet to provide key evidence required by the defence.
"The Cyber Report remains outstanding, and the State is yet to furnish the same," Giya added.
Madzikatidze has been on bail since 15 May 2026 after spending three months in pre-trial detention following his arrest on 18 February 2026. He was arrested over a series of investigative articles published by Bulawayo24 examining the controversial US$344 million Geo Pomona Waste Management deal linked to **Delish Nguwaya**.
He faces two charges: allegedly contravening Section 7(1) as read with Section 4(b) of the Broadcasting Services Act [Chapter 12:06] by providing a broadcasting service without a licence through the Bulawayo24 website, and cyberbullying under Section 164B of the Criminal Law (Codification and Reform) Act for allegedly publishing claims that Geo Pomona executives bribe journalists to avoid scrutiny.
The case has been marked by repeated delays, missing dockets and the absence of a trial date. On several occasions, court records were reportedly unavailable, while defence lawyers were previously informed that the file had been classified as a "security docket" and was being held by security authorities.
The continued remanding of Madzikatidze without trial has attracted criticism from regional and international press freedom organisations.
The Committee to Protect Journalists (CPJ) has previously argued that Zimbabwean authorities should not use licensing regulations or cybercrime laws to suppress journalism.
"Zimbabwean authorities should not use licensing regulations or cybercrime provisions to censor or criminalise legitimate journalism. Keeping a journalist in detention for more than a week over their reporting is a totally disproportionate response," said CPJ Africa Director **Angela Quintal**.
While CPJ welcomed Madzikatidze's release on bail in May, it called on authorities to drop all charges against him.
The Media Institute of Southern Africa (MISA) Zimbabwe has also described the case as part of a broader pattern of judicial harassment. In its 2026 World Press Freedom Day statement, MISA Zimbabwe chairperson **Passmore Kuzipa** urged the government to end the arbitrary arrest of journalists carrying out their professional duties and called for the repeal of laws that restrict freedom of expression and media freedom.
MISA's 2026 Southern Africa Press Freedom Report, launched in Lusaka, said press freedom across the region remains under siege, citing increasing efforts to stifle independent journalism through both traditional censorship methods and sophisticated legal and digital mechanisms.
Amnesty International has similarly warned that the use of criminal charges against individuals for peacefully expressing dissenting views risks shrinking civic space and discouraging the legitimate exercise of fundamental human rights.
Madzikatidze is expected to return to the Harare Magistrates Court on 29 October 2026, when a possible trial date may be set, more than eight months after his arrest, with the State's cyber report still outstanding.