(MISA/IFEX) – On 12 March 1999, the Zimbabwean High Court cleared Defence Minister Moven Mahachi of contempt of court charges following an application in this regard brought by the “Standard” newspaper. However, the court found that his secretary, Job Whabira, was guilty of ignoring the court and subsequently ordered the ministry to pay the legal […]
(MISA/IFEX) – On 12 March 1999, the Zimbabwean High Court cleared
Defence
Minister Moven Mahachi of contempt of court charges following an
application
in this
regard brought by the “Standard” newspaper. However, the court found
that
his secretary, Job Whabira, was guilty of ignoring the court and
subsequently ordered the ministry to pay the legal fees the paper
incurred
while trying to secure the release of two journalists who were detained
at
the time.
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The court said it accepted the defence argument that Mahachi was out of
the
country when the orders had been served and that Whabira had no powers
to
effect them. However, it said Whabira, who allegedly told the paper at
the
time that the army would not obey court orders and would free the
journalists at its own pace, acted wrongly. The matter has been referred
to
the Attorney-General, who may institute a criminal investigation and
formally charge Whabira with contempt.
Background Information
The two journalists from the “Standard,” Mark Chavunduka and Ray Choto,
are
currently facing charges of publishing false information as a result of
an
article published in their paper on 10 January alleging a coup plot in
Zimbabwe. Chavunduka was arrested by the military on 12 January, and
Choto
was arrested by police on 19 January, and then handed over to the
military
for interrogation. Before their release on bail on 21 January, the
newspaper
secured at least three High Court orders demanding their release, but
they
were all ignored.
Both men sustained serious injuries as a result of torture suffered at
the
hands of military police during their illegal detention. On 2 March, the
newspaper successfully defeated an appeal by the state against the
altering
of the bail conditions of the two journalists to allow them to leave
Zimbabwe to receive medical treatment in the United Kingdom (U.K.). They
are
currently in the U.K. receiving treatment. They are expected back before
the
end of March for the commencement of their trial.
