Prominent journalist re-arrested

Zimbabwean journalist and documentary filmmaker Hopewell Chin’ono was arrested on Friday on charges of communicating false information, his third arrest inside six months. Chin’ono, who has a large social media following, has been critical of President Emmerson Mnangagwa’s rule, accusing his government of corruption and mismanagement. His comments have been unusually outspoken for a journalist in Zimbabwe, where critics are often dealt with harshly. Business Day reports that his lawyer Doug Coltart told Reuters the latest charges stemmed from his Twitter post saying a police officer had beaten and killed a child strapped to its mother’s back after a video of the alleged incident went viral. Police said on investigations showed the baby was alive. Police have also arrested MDC Alliance politician Job Sikhala who is part of the legal team representing Chin'ono. New Zimbabwe reports that Sikhala on Friday claimed that police were investigating him over the inflammatory tweet. Both the legislator and Chin'ono were arrested last year charged with violence incitement relating to what was a planned opposition anti-corruption demonstration which was foiled by security agents last July.

Full New Zimbabwe report

Full Business Day report

In other developments, Chin’ono's lead defence attorney, Beatrice Mtetwa, has been reinstated to represent the writer after a lower court had barred her from representing him on charges of contempt of court. The Daily Maverick reports that High Court Judge Happias Zhou also ordered the magistrate who was presiding over Chin’ono’s case to recuse himself when the journalist’s trial gets under way on 18 January. Ngoni Nduna in September barred Mtetwa from representing Chin’ono after he ruled in favour of prosecutors who had alleged that she had posted messages of court proceedings on her Facebook account. Mtetwa denied the charges. As previously reported in Legalbrief Today, the journalist was first arrested in July and spent more than a month in detention without trial for allegedly inciting Zimbabweans to demonstrate against the government. He was granted bail in November following his arrest on charges of defeating or obstructing the course of justice.

Full Daily Maverick report