August 11 2005: Jakachira appeared briefly in court where his defence lawyer applied for his acquittal on charges of practicing journalism without accreditation. August 17, 2005: Magistrate dismisses application for his acquittal. August 31, 2005: Harare magistrate Prisca Chigumba acquits Jakachira saying he had complied with the application procedures and the State’s evidence was vague and confused. ALERT (including updates) Date: August 12, 2005 Persons/Institutions: Willie Mponda Violation: Sentenced On August 12 2005, Editor of The Sun newspaper, Willie Mponda, was convicted of publishing a false statement prejudicial to the State in terms of Section 15 (1) (c ) of the Public Order and Security Act (POSA). This follows the publication of a story on June 10, 2005, which claimed that a Gweru woman had committed suicide after her two telephone shops were destroyed under the controversial clean-up campaign code named, Operation Restore Order. He was fined Z$100 000. The offence carries a five-year prison term, or alternatively both such fine and imprisonment. August 3, 2005: Mponda pleads not guilty to publishing falsehoods in terms of Section 15 (1) (c) of POSA. The trial was adjourned to August 11, 2005, after charges were read to Mponda. June 16, 2005: Mponda is charged with contravening Section 15 (1) (c) Chapter 11:17 of the Public Order and Security Act (POSA). This followed publication of a story in The Sun on 10 June 2005 that a Gweru woman had committed suicide after her two telephone shops were destroyed under the controversial cleanup campaign code named, Operation Restore Order. ALERT Date: July 13, 2005 Persons/Institutions: African Tribune Newspapers (ATN), publishers of The Tribune weekly newspaper Violation: Censored On July 13 2005, the Media and Information Commission (MIC) denied African Tribune Newspapers (ATN), publishers of The Tribune weekly newspaper, an operating licence saying the media house had failed to meet the requirements for re-registration in terms of AIPPA by failing to prove that it had the requisite capital to resume publication. ALERT Date: June 17, 2005 Persons/Institutions: Hosea Chipanga Violation: Threatened On June 17 2005, DStv subscribers in Bulawayo were questioned by the police as to the source of the foreign currency they use to pay their monthly subscriptions. The police said they were justified to investigate cases where they suspect crimes were being committed. ALERT Date: June 13, 2005 Persons/Institutions: Media and People of Zimbabwe Violation: Legislation On June 2 2005, President Robert Mugabe signed the Criminal Law (Codification and Reform) Bill into law after it was passed into law by parliament towards the end of 2004. Zimbabwean journalists now risk spending 20 years in jail if convicted for publication or So This Is Democracy? 2005 -164- Media Institute of Southern Africa