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The 49-year-old, who was arrested again on Tuesday, arrived at Harare magistrates court in shackles and handcuffs on his legs, where he was charged with obstruction of justice and contempt of court for the tweet.
Hopewell Chin’ono. Image: Hopewell Chin’ono / Fcabeook.com
HARARE – Award-winning Zimbabwean journalist Hopewell Chin’ono was charged in contempt of court on Friday and ordered to be held in a maximum security prison.
Chin’ono is accused of violating his bail conditions by tweeting about a gold smuggling scandal despite a ban on posting on Twitter.
He had initially been arrested in July on charges of inciting public violence before planned anti-government protests, but was released on bail in September.
The 49-year-old, who was arrested again on Tuesday, arrived at Harare magistrates court in shackles and handcuffs on his legs, where he was charged with obstruction of justice and contempt of court for the tweet.
He referred to the arrest of the head of the Zimbabwe Federation of Miners, Henrieta Rushwaya, at Harare airport on October 26 as she was about to board a flight to Dubai with six kilos of gold in her carry-on luggage.
In his tweet, Chin’ono alleged that Chief Justice Luke Malaba had lobbied the justices in the case, echoing an opinion expressed in a letter written to President Emmerson Mnangagwa by the country’s judges.
Harare Magistrate Marehwanazvo Gofa ordered Chin’ono to be detained in Chikurubi Maximum Prison, which houses criminals sentenced on death row or sentenced to life imprisonment.
Chin’ono had initially been detained for 45 days for “inciting public violence” before planned demonstrations against corruption and deteriorating living standards that were thwarted by a large deployment of police and soldiers.
His legal team said that his case should not be heard by the Special Anti-Corruption Court as it was not about bribery, and said the detention conditions threatened the well-being of his client.
“Why do they keep him together with the most dangerous criminals in Section D when he is not a dangerous criminal?” asked attorney Beatrice Mtetwa.
“Why are they taking him to court in shackles and handcuffs, but should he be in pretrial detention?”
Chin’ono, praised for his investigative journalism, helped expose a multi-billion dollar scandal related to the procurement of coronavirus supplies in May.
He is scheduled to return to court Monday when he is expected to request bail.
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