Journalists Further Remanded

HARARE - Alpha Media Holdings Group Editor -in -Chief, Vincent Kahiya and Zimbabwe Independent editor, Constantine Chimakure, who are facing charges of publishing statements prejudicial to the state have been further remanded out of custody to March 14 next year.

Kahiya and Chimakure appeared at the magistrate’s court Monday to answer charges stemming from a story the Zimbabwe Independent carried which named state security agents and police in the abduction of  uman rights activist, Jestina Mukoko and MDC activists last year.

The two senior journalists have appealed to the Supreme court against the charges and are challenging the infringements of their rights. Chris Mhike, who is representing the two, said he will apply for refusal of further remand when his clients appear in court in March.

Mhike complained to the magistrate about delays that his clients have faced each time they appear in court.It took three hours for Kahiya and Chimakure to appear in court on Monday leaving Mhike with no option but to suggest that his clients are being persecuted for being journalists.

"I made it clear to the magistrate that we are particularly concerned with the sort of delays that we face each time that we come to the court. We believe that they are being subjected to this treatment because they are members of the media," Mhike said.

"As you know in recent months members of the of the media have been subjected to untold harassment, unprecedented levels of arrest and other forms of harassment by the arms of the state agencies, the police and other members of the state machinery."

Several journalists have been arrested in the country in the last two years on various charges.Last week police arrested and detained Standard newspaper editor, Nevanji Madanhire over a story published in the weekly which alleged that police were recruiting war veterans to take senior positions in the force in next year's election.

Madanhire was arrested days after the release of his reporter, Nqobani Ndlovu, who wrote the police story. Ndlovu spent nine days in detention before the High court ordered his release.

He has appealed to the Supreme Court challenging the infringements of his rights under the charges which are similar to Kahiya and Chimakure.