IFEX - News from the international freedom of expression community
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ALERT UPDATE - ZAMBIA

17 February 2003

Journalist released on bail

SOURCE: Media Institute of Southern Africa (MISA), Windhoek

**Updates IFEX alert of 5 February 2003**

(MISA/IFEX) - Chali Nondo, a journalist from "The Monitor" newspaper, was
released on police bond on 10 February 2003, at approximately 7:00 p.m.
(local time), after spending about three hours in police custody. On 5
February, Nondo was detained at Woodlands police station on a charge of
"publishing false news with intent to cause fear and alarm to the public".

The reporter described his experience in police custody as "rough." "The
cell was a dump, smelly and crowded," he said.

Inter-African Network for Human Rights and Development (Afronet) Executive
Director Ngande Mwanajiti secured Nondo's release after protesting
vehemently to police officers that an earlier decision to deny the
journalist bond was a violation of his rights. Nondo was due to appear in
court on 6 February, but the hearing did not take place as there was no case
record. He was instead asked to report to police on 10 February.

Mwanajiti told the Zambia Independent Media Association (ZIMA, MISA's
Zambian chapter) that he made several phone calls to senior police officers,
including Police Spokesperson Brenda Muntemba, to find out why Nondo was
denied bond. He did not get a satisfactory response. However, on 10
February, at around 7:00 p.m., he was told that police had received
instructions from State House to release the journalist.

Mwanajiti charged that President Levy Mwanawasa's government had "no respect
for the media." He accused the government of being behind the arrest of
Nondo and several other "Monitor" journalists.

BACKGROUND:
On 5 February, Nondo was arrested and charged for authoring a story in the 4
to 6 February edition of "The Monitor", which alleged that President
Mwanawasa had authorised police to hire a witchdoctor to help them capture a
fugitive former finance minister who was wanted by police to face charges of
"theft of public funds". The former minister had eluded police for over
three months on account of his alleged use of charms. Nondo's story, which
quoted unnamed sources, suggested that police would not have arrested the
fugitive minister if they had not engaged the witchdoctor.

"Publishing false news with intent to cause fear and alarm to the public" is
an offence under Section 67 of the Penal Code and carried a maximum jail
sentence of three years upon conviction of an accused person.

For further information, contact Zoe Titus or Kaitira Kandjii, Regional
Information Coordinator, MISA, Street Address: 21 Johann Albrecht Street,
Mailing Address; Private Bag 13386 Windhoek, Namibia, tel: +264 61 232975,
fax: +264 61 248016, e-mail: [email protected] [2] or [email protected] [3],
Internet: http://www.misa.org/ [4]

The information contained in this alert update is the sole responsibility of
MISA. In citing this material for broadcast or publication, please credit
MISA.
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