Hopewell Chin’ono remains behind bars as State charges him with a law that’s was regarded as unconstitutional 7-years ago.

Harare — Award winning journalist Hopewell Chin’ono was at the Harare Magistrate Court today. He was arrested yesterday & is facing a charge of publishing falsehoods after allegedly tweeting that a police officer hit & killed a baby with a baton stick.

Zimbabwean journalist Hopewell Chin’ono says his latest arrest – the third such an arraignment in as many months – for allegedly communicating a falsehood is “political persecution”. Chin’ono has offended authorities by exposing corruption on social media.

Chinono’s charge sheet as State opposed his bail. The law being used against him was declared unconstitutional 7 years ago.

Hopewell Chin’ono has been remanded in custody to Monday. Chin’ono told Harare magistrate Lazini Ncube he was exposed to people with Covid-19 when he was in South Africa recently and was in self-quarantine. Ncube then said he should be detained separately.

JOB SIKHALA ARRESTED:
Opposition leader Job Wiwa Sikhala who was also part of Hopewell Chinono legal team was arrested outside court.

He has not yet been charged.