(MISA/IFEX) – On 5 October 2000, police dismantled and seized Capitol Radio’s broadcasting equipment, from its studio at the Monomotapa Hotel in Harare. The equipment included a CD player, console, mixer, microphone, amplifier, multiplex generator, modular, coaxial cables and an antenna. The seized equipment was reportedly still in police custody late at night on 5 […]
(MISA/IFEX) – On 5 October 2000, police dismantled and seized Capitol Radio’s broadcasting
equipment, from its studio at the Monomotapa Hotel in Harare. The equipment included a CD player, console, mixer, microphone, amplifier, multiplex generator, modular, coaxial cables and an antenna. The seized equipment was reportedly still in police custody late at night on 5 October.
During a press conference following the seizure of the equipment, Minister of State for Information and Publicity Professor Jonathan Moyo said the police operations had been conducted well within the limits of the law, taking into consideration national security. “It is not so much that Capitol did not have a licence but that it allocated itself a broadcasting frequency. That is lawlessness at its peak.” Moyo said that while Capitol Radio was free to apply for a proper operating licence, Movement for Democratic Change Member of Parliament David Coltart would be barred from holding office under the new regulation. Coltart is one of Capitol Radio’s shareholders.
The homes of the directors, Mike Auret (Junior) and Gerry Jackson were also raided on 5 October. On 6 October, Jackson told MISA- Zimbabwe that no property had been confiscated from their homes but that police were still camped outside their homes. The raids were in defiance of a court order prohibiting the search. While the “Herald” reports that no arrests were made, according to the 6 October edition of “Daily News”, Capitol Radio’s lawyer, Antony Brooks of Honey and
Blackenberg, said that former shareholder Brian Lathan was briefly arrested and only released after proving that he had sold his shares to Jackson. Brooks reportedly claimed that the police wanted to arrest him and another lawyer representing the station, Jonathan Samkange.
According to Post and Telecommunications Corporation (PTC) engineers, three antennas are required to provide adequate coverage in all directions. “We therefore suspect that the other two antennas are elsewhere and the station could thus go live anytime,” they stated. Jackson however denied that the station had any other antenna besides the one that was confiscated.
By 5 October, the police’s probe had widened to include the role of the hotel in admitting Capitol Radio to set up a broadcasting studio and tap into the hotel’s internal diffusion system. However, the hotel’s manager, Mr. Petrakius, denied that the hotel was aware of the existence of the radio station and is said to have threatened to take legal action against the station.
Meanwhile on 5 October, the High Court ordered Capital Radio to stop broadcasting for ten days until it has been granted a frequency, and to have its site and equipment inspected, while the police must return the station’s confiscated equipment. However, on 6 October Jackson told MISA-Zimbabwe that the equipment had not been returned as of that date and that because the presidential powers overruled the court’s orders, the police would not adhere to the court’s ruling. Justice Gwaunza made the ruling on a chamber application by Capitol Radio, seeking an interdict to prohibit Minister of State for Information and Publicity Moyo and Police Commissioner Augustine Chihuri from interfering with the station’s operations.
Regarding the 5 October illegal raid conducted by the police, the High Court has ordered Police Commissioner Chihuri and his assistant, Police Commissioner Libberman Ndlovu, to appear before the court on Tuesday 10 October.
As of 6 October, police were still in the process of tracking down the location of FM100, another pirate radio station currently on air.
