US embassy cable - 02HARARE1568

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Identifier:	02HARARE1568
Wikileaks:	View 02HARARE1568 at Wikileaks.org
Origin:	Embassy Harare
Created:	2002-07-03 08:30:00
Classification:	UNCLASSIFIED
Tags:	PREL PHUM KPAO ZI
Redacted:	This cable was not redacted by Wikileaks.

UNCLAS HARARE 001568 
 
SIPDIS 
 
DEPT FOR AF/PD, AF/S , AF/RA 
NSC FOR JENDAYI FRAZER 
LONDON FOR GURNEY 
PARIS FOR NEARY 
NAIROBI FOR PFLAUMER 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: PREL, PHUM, KPAO, ZI 
SUBJECT: JOURNALIST'S TRIAL POSTPONED 
 
 
1.   The trial of "Daily News" reporter Lloyd Mudiwa 
    has been postponed.  Mudiwa was charged on April 30 
    with "publishing falsehoods" because of his report 
    about a woman supposedly beheaded by ruling party 
    supporters.  That story has since been disproved.  On 
    June 20 Mudiwa presented himself to the Harare 
    Magistrates' Court as ordered, but was told to return 
    on July 22. 
 
2.   According to "Daily News" Assistant Editor Bill 
    Saidi, the trial was postponed because the government 
    decided to charge "Daily News" editor-in-chief Geoff 
    Nyarota and reporter Collin Chiwanza with the same 
    offense and try all three journalists at the same 
    time.  The government, apparently, needs additional 
    time to draw up the charges against Nyarota and 
    Chiwanza. 
 
3.   Developing charges against Chiwanza may involve 
    some interesting legal contortions.  He and Mudiwa 
    were arrested together on April 30 and spent two 
    nights in jail, joined by Amcit journalist Andrew 
    Meldrum on May 1. Harare magistrate Lillian Kudya, 
    however, withdrew the charges against Chiwanza on May 
    7, stating that he "did not contribute to the initial 
    false publication."  In a society in which rule of law 
    prevailed, charging Chiwanza with the same offense for 
    a second time would likely be seen as double jeopardy. 
 
SULLIVAN