A Harare magistrate will on Thursday rule on Alpha Media Holdings senior journalist Blessed Mhlanga’s bail application following his arrest on charges of inciting public violence.
Mhlanga was arrested on Monday after he presented himself to the police, who had indicated that they were looking for him in connection with his coverage of press conferences by Zanu PF central committee member Blessings Gaza.
Geza and other fellow war veterans addressed press conferences between January and this month demanding that President Emmerson Mnangagwa must resign for allegedly failing to deal with rampant corruption and incompetence.
His lawyer Chris Mhike on Tuesday told Harare chief magistrate Farai Gwatima that Mhlanga was wrongfully arrested for doing his job and must be set free.
Mhike said Mhlanga had no case to answer and there was no need for the prosecution to treat him as a terrorist as well as depriving him of his freedom.
Prosecutors opposed bail claiming that the Heart and Soul Broadcasting Services head of news would interfere with potential witnesses, who are his subordinates.
They alleged that on January 27 and on February 11 Mhlanga recorded a video of Geza calling for Mnangagwa’s resignation with the intention of inciting violence.
More to follow…
- Letter to my people: The experiment has failed spectacularly
- Village Rhapsody: Zimbabwean journalists under siege
- AMH journalists arrested
- Letter to my people: The experiment has failed spectacularly
