Writer of death threat directed at editor surfaces

(MISA/IFEX) – On 25 April 2000, the writer of two letters containing death threats, one of which was directed at the editor-in-chief of the “Daily News”, Geoff Nyarota, presented himself to the newspaper’s reception desk. The writer, Ngonidzashe Mutasa, surfaced at the reception and asked to see the editor but staff quickly called in the […]

(MISA/IFEX) – On 25 April 2000, the writer of two letters containing death threats, one of which was directed at the editor-in-chief of the “Daily News”, Geoff Nyarota, presented himself to the newspaper’s reception desk.

The writer, Ngonidzashe Mutasa, surfaced at the reception and asked to see the editor but staff quickly called in the police who arrived in no time and took him in for questioning.

Mutasa, whose other letter was sent to Reverend Tim Neill of the Anglican Church’s St Luke’s Parish in Greendale, Harare, claims to be the secretary of the Restoration of the African Conscience. The organisation came under scrutiny only recently, following the two letters.

The letter to Nyarota threatened “to do away with you and your paper”, while the letter to the priest threatened to send him “an early passport to hell”. A bomb exploded directly below Nyarota’s office three days after he received Mutasa’s letter.

Mutasa said he wanted to assure Nyarota that he had not meant to harm him. He held a brief discussion on the philosophy of his movement with a senior detective and senior editorial staff of the newspaper before he was taken to Harare Central Police Station. He said he did not plant the bomb that exploded in the Nhaka Art Gallery in Trustee House.

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