New York Times
correspondent Barry Bearaik
and South African freelance
journalist Stephan Bevan

Andrew Neshamba, former
Zimbabwe Broadcasting
Corporation Manicaland
bureau chief.

MISA-Zimbabwe

Sipho Moses Maseko

Accused of practicing
journalism without
accreditation in terms of
Section 78 (2) of AIPPA. The
two were arrested on 27
March 2008. The section in
question considers it an
offence for one to hold himself
or herself as an accredited
journalist without being so
accredited. Appeared before
Harare Magistrate Shongwe
who granted them bail Z$300
million and ordered them to
surrender their passports and
not to interfere with witnesses.
Remanded to 10 April 2008.
Charged with contravening
Section 174 (1) (a) of the
Criminal Law (Codification
and Reform) Act (Criminal
Abuse of Duty as Public
Officers). Allegations are that
Neshamba and William
Gumbo on 4 February 2007
facilitated the entry of Peter
Moyo, South African based ETV reporter into Chiadzwa
diamond fields and took video
footage of the minefields.
Media Lawyers Network
lawyer Cris Ndlovu
successfully applied for the
recusal of trial magistrate
Billard Musakwa on
allegations of prejudicing the
matter.
Issued an action alert in the
wake of continued arrests and
violations against journalists
and called for its members,
human rights and civic groups
to condemn these actions.
Appeals should be lodged
with the Attorney General,
President’s Office and
Cabinet, Parliament, The
Ministry of Information and
Police Commissioner General.
Accused of contravening

7 April 2008

8 April 2008

9 April 2008

10 April 2008

17

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