HARARE – Media rights groups yesterday slammed the arrest and day-long detention of Daily News editor Stanley Gama and reporter Xolisani Ncube.The two were arrested in connection with a story headlined “Chombo brags about riches” which was published in the Daily News edition of November 10.
Chombo was reported to have bragged about his wealth in a meeting with officials from the Bill and Melinda Gates foundation.Gama and Ncube were charged with criminal defamation under Section 96 of the Criminal Codification Act. The Voluntary Media Council of Zimbabwe (VMCZ) condemned the arrests and called for the immediate release of the duo.
“The preference of criminal defamation charges against journalists and media houses is patently undemocratic and can only be viewed as an affront to the right to freedom of expression and access to information that is guaranteed in Section 20 of Zimbabwe’s Constitution.
“It is in this regard that the VMCZ wishes to express deep regret that political leaders would seek recourse to criminal defamation charges against journalists. Issues of grievances against the media can be resolved amicably without having to send journalists to police stations or interrogation by the police,” VMCZ said in a statement.
Njabulo Ncube, the Media Institute of Southern Africa (Misa) chairperson said it was worrying that journalism was being criminalised and made a passionate plea to the coalition partners to stop this “kind of media repression.”
“As we edge towards elections, I think they are criminalising journalism as a way of silencing the media,” Ncube said.
The two journalists were released into the custody of their lawyers yesterday evening.The arrest of the two is the first crackdown on the Daily News since it re-opened seven years after it was closed down in September 2003 under the Access to Information and Protection of Privacy Act (Aippa).
The arrest came barely two weeks after The Standard newspaper editor Nevanji Madanhire and reporter Nqaba Matshazi were also arrested on criminal defamation charges and alleged theft of documents from Green Card Medical Aid Society in Harare. Green Card Medical Aid Society is owned by Reserve Bank Governor Gideon Gono’s advisor, Munyaradzi Kereke
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