By Staff Reporter
The lawyer representing Alpha Media Holdings (AMH ) journalist, Blessed Mhlanga who is being accused of transmission of information that incites violence or causes damage to property complained that the police have been unprofessional in the manner in which they handled his clientโs matter.
Mhlanga was arrested on Monday after he presented himself at Harare Central Police Station in the company of his lawyer Chris Mhike. He is charged under Section 164 of the Criminal Law (Codification and Reform) Act Chapter 9:23.
The charges relate to him granting an interview to Blessed Geza, a war veteran and a staunch opponent of the Mnangagwa 2030 agenda.
Geza had issued press briefings through AMH broadcaster, HSTv calling for President Emmerson Mnangagwa to resign from office immediately. Mhlanga is the head of HSTv.
โMy client was invited to the police station thrice over the past four weeks with the police indicating that they wanted to have talks with him and on each occasion ,they released him indicating that they did not have any case against him.
โWhen we knew through the police about the policeโs intention my client walked in freely to the police and police read out the whole process of interviewing him and other relevant paperwork.
โBy lunchtime they were complete they should have taken the accused to court but alas, police decided to detain him till today,โ said Chris Mhike representing Mhlanga.
โThe cells at Harare Central Police Station are in a sorry state with ceilings hanging down.
โOur police does not provide inmates with food or water and inmates have normalised sleeping on a dry floor in this jurisdiction.
โThat is inhumane treatment. This conduct by the police has been sanitised by the NPA, every police report should be vetted properly.โ
The State said they need 72 hours to investigate the alleged complaints.
The court ordered it to investigate the complaints and revert with its findings within 72 hours.
Prosecutors said its witnesses are his junior colleagues.
โSome of them are yet to be recorded statements by the police
โInvestigations are still ongoing If the accused is granted bail, he will interfere with witnesses.โ
The prosecutor further said, โThere is a likelihood that he will commit similar offences, the same machinery which he used in the present case before the court are yet to be recovered by the police, procedures to recover same have commenced.โ
Mhike shot back saying โThe state has failed to make a valid legal point against the granting of bail.
โIf the prosecution had established that the accused person was previously on remand that would constitute compelling reasons.
โThe reasons are unfounded and groundless.
โMy sister (prosecutor) made a strange comparison that because he is a political reporter he therefore is a politician. We now see the politicisation of journalism.โ
Mhike also said, โSilencing journalists is not part of law.
โMay the court be told that the so-called juniors have been visiting the accused in solidarity.
โIf the state thought they are dangerous they would have taken measures to reduce the visits.
โAccused is a journalist whose job is to gather news and disseminate the news.
โSection 61 of our Constitution speaks to freedom of expression and freedom of the media.
โWhat happened to press freedom in this country? I am pained that I am standing in court defending a journalistโs right to freedom of expression.
โThe last point is that the accused did not do this once but twice, yes he didnโt do it twice but many times. It is his job.โ
โWhether you agree with what Geza said, the public is entitled to hear it. Itโs not my client who put these statements to the public.
โI pray that the court makes a finding that on the law the state has failed to find compelling reasons to detain my clients.โ
The hearing is ongoing, Josphat Chitambira arresting detail attached to CID Counter Terrorism Unit now testifying opposing bail
โFirstly, the witnesses we have lined up are the accusedโs workmates, he is senior to them out of fear is that he will influence them and it is prejudicial.
โWe have 10 witnesses whom we intend to interview,โ he said.
