BY STAFF REPORTER A BULAWAYO Magistrate has set May 31 for ruling in a case where New York Times (NYT) correspondent Jeffrey Moyo faces charges of assisting two foreign journalists to obtain fake media accreditation cards.
Moyo was arrested in May last year allegedly assisting South Africa-based NYT journalists Christina Goldbaum and Joao Silva obtain the accreditation cards.
In March, Moyo’s defence council led by Beatrice Mtetwa applied for dismissal at the end of the State case.
However, provincial magistrate Mark Dzira rejected the request saying the State had provided sufficient evidence for the prosecution.
The case took a new twist yesterday after the State attempted to cross-examine Moyo, a move that the defence rejected.
In her reaction after the ruling date was set, Mtetwa said Moyo had a right to remain silent in court.
“An attempt to put questions to someone who has said he wants to remain silent is an exercise in futility. If he wants to find him guilty, let him do that on the evidence that the State has led which in his ruling has been completely ignored,” Mtetwa said.
“It now means judgment will be given, we will file our submissions and our position will continue being that the State evidence does not constitute proof beyond reasonable doubt that he manufactured the accreditation cards. Nobody led that evidence. As far as we are concerned, he followed procedures.”
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