Source: Zimbabwe Independent Editor, Faith Zaba, Arrested Over Satirical Piece On Mnangagwa ⋆ Pindula News
Faith Zaba
Zimbabwe Independent editor Faith Zaba was detained overnight on Tuesday, 01 July, after police accused her of publishing material that allegedly “undermined the authority” of President Emmerson Mnangagwa.
The charge stems from a satirical column, Muckracker, which appeared in the weekly publication. The piece mocked Zimbabwe’s recent assumption of the Southern African Development Community (SADC) chairmanship, describing the regional bloc as a “trade union of dictators.”
Zaba’s lawyer, Chris Mhike, confirmed her detention, saying the police insisted she spend the night in custody ahead of a possible court appearance provisionally set for Wednesday, 02 July. Said Mhike:
Senior journalist and editor of the Zimbabwe Independent, Faith Zaba has been arrested by the ZRP today on allegations of undermining the authority of or insulting the President. The charge relates to a satirical Muckraker article published last Friday.
After police recorded a warned and cautioned statement from Zaba, they insisted on detaining her overnight, pending a court appearance provisionally tomorrow.
We are deeply disappointed with the determination of the authorities to lock Zaba up, even in the face of medical confirmation of her current severe illness.
Members of the Criminal Investigations Department (CID) Law and Order section reportedly made two attempts to locate Faith Zaba at the offices of Alpha Media Holdings, the publishers of the Zimbabwe Independent, but were unsuccessful.
Zaba later surrendered herself to the police, accompanied by her lawyer Chris Mhike and Alpha Media Holdings legal representative Tatenda Chikohora.
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