State of the media in Southern Africa - 2003 ■ ALERTS • DATE: January 21, 2003 PERSONS/INSTITUTIONS: Arthur Simuchoba, Calvin Kaleyi, Chali Nondo VIOLATIONS: Threatened O n January 21 2003, police picked up three journalists from the privately-owned The Monitor newspaper for questioning, in connection with a story it published in its October 18 to 21 2002 edition. The report linked Harry Mwanawasa, President Levy Mwanawasa’s brother, to a corruption case. • DATE: February 5, 2003 PERSONS/INSTITUTIONS: Chali Nondo VIOLATIONS: Detained (charged) O n February 5 2003, police arrested Chali Nondo, chief reporter of The Monitor newspaper, and charged him with “publishing false news with intent to cause fear and alarm to the public”. The journalist is being held at Woodlands police station in Lusaka and has been denied bond. The offence, which is contrary to Section 67 of the Penal Code, carries a maximum jail sentence of three years upon conviction. Nondo’s arrest follows a story published in the February 4 to 6 edition of The Monitor, which alleged that President Levy Mwanawasa had authorised police to hire a witchdoctor in order to help them capture a fugitive former finance minister who was wanted by police to face charges of “theft of public funds”. UPDATE • DATE: February 10, 2003 PERSONS/INSTITUTIONS: Chali Nondo VIOLATIONS: Detained (charged - update) C hali Nondo, a journalist from The Monitor newspaper, was released on police bond on February 10 2003, at approximately 19h00, after spending about three hours in police custody. On February 5, Nondo was detained on a charge of “publishing false news with intent to cause fear and alarm to the public”. The reporter described his experience in police custody as “rough.” “The cell was a dump, smelly and crowded,” he said. • DATE: February 24, 2003 PERSONS/INSTITUTIONS: Dickson Jere, Penny Dale, Shapi Shacinda, Amos Malupenga, Wendy Mpolokoso VIOLATIONS: Censored O n February 24 2003, police prevented five journalists from covering court proceedings involving former president Frederick Chiluba. Reuters correspondent Shapi Shacinda, Agence France-Presse (AFP) correspondent and Zambia Independent Media Association (ZIMA) Chairperson Dickson Jere, BBC correspondent Penny Dale, Post newspaper assistant news editor Amos Malupenga and Radio Phoenix reporter Wendy Mpolokoso were prevented from entering the Lusaka Chikwa Magistrate’s court to cover Chiluba’s court appearance on charges of “theft by a public servant”. So This Is Democracy? 2003 106 Media Institute of Southern Africa