FOUR journalists were on Thursday allegedly assaulted outside the Chiredzi Magistrates Court at the end of Andrew Takashinga Bere’s bail hearing.
by STAFF REPORTER
In an alert, Media Institute of Southern Africa (Misa) Zimbabwe said Bere was accused of defrauding American taxpayers of $7 million during his stay in that country.
Misa said the four journalists harassed were Godfrey Mtimba a freelancer, Patrick Chitongo of Chiredzi’s Flame newspaper, Morris Bishi of the Masvingo Mirror, and Tawanda Mangoma with Zimpapers in Chiredzi.
“The journalists were assaulted when they attempted to take pictures of Mr Bere as he was led out of court,” reads the alert.
“The alleged perpetrators of the assault are Bere’s family members.
“The family members took offence when the journalists’ tried to use their mobile phones to take pictures of the accused. “The journalists were pushed and harassed by the group of about 20 people, with Chitongo getting kicked in the process.
“The family members also issued verbal death threats to the Chiredzi based journalists.”
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Misa said members of the Zimbabwe Prison and Correctional Services (ZPCS), who were attending to Bere also verbally threatened the journalists, claiming the media practitioners had no right to take pictures of the accused without prior authority to do so from the State.
The journalists lodged a formal report of assault at the Chiredzi police, RRB No.3479828.
“Misa Zimbabwe reiterates its position that media freedom, freedom of expression and access to information are the cornerstones of the practice of journalism. These rights are constitutionally guaranteed and must be respected,” the media advocacy group said.
“Misa Zimbabwe is disappointed by the actions allegedly carried out by the ZPS officers, who also attempted to bar the journalists from doing their work.
“Court matters are of public interest; this is why they are held in open court.”
Meanwhile in another alert, Misa said journalists from TellZim’s Masvingo office were on Wednesday verbally abused and threatened by two MDC-T provincial leaders at the newspaper’s offices in the city centre.
MDC-T district chairperson, Murangamwa Chanyau and Peter Chigaba, who is the provincial administrator, reportedly stormed the newsroom in reaction to a story in which the publication set out details of how the opposition party was allegedly planning to replace all sitting councillors with new ones.
“The visibly angry MDC-T officials accused the publication of being aligned to Zanu PF, as well as an MDC-T faction that supports former MDC-T legislator for Masvingo Urban, Tongai Matutu, which is allegedly at loggerheads with one led by Takanayi Mureyi,” Misa said.
“During the attacks, the two MDC-T officials also discouraged TellZim from publishing articles, which portray the MDC-T in a bad light.”
Misa said this was the second incident this year in which MDC-T members have been implicated in violations against journalists.
“This particular incident is more worrying because the perpetrators took the violation a step further when they attempted to gag TellZim journalists from carrying out their duties as provided for in the Constitution of Zimbabwe,” the alert said.
