Zimbabwe Alert
September 30, 2002
Journalist sentenced to three months in prison

Tawanda Majoni a journalist with the "Daily Mirror" has been sentenced to three
months in prison for allegedly breaching the Police Act.

Majoni was tried by a Police Displinary tribunal on September 18, 2002, and was
found guilty of having sought employment with the "Daily Mirror" whilst he was
still a member of the police force. He has since denied the charge and filed an
appeal against both the conviction and sentence. The Zimbabwe chapter of the
Media Institute of Southern Africa (MISA-Zimbabwe) is reliably informed that
Majoni is out of custody and at work pending the hearing on his appeal.

At the outbreak of this case Majoni had informed MISA-Zimbabwe that he had
legally and procedurally resigned from the police force. His lawyer, Johannes
Tomana said that he would appeal against the sentence passed on Majoni. "The
sentence is harsh under the circumstances", said Tomana, adding that his client
had appealed against both the conviction and sentence.
"He was convicted by a disciplinary court in terms of the Police Act," the
lawyer said. The reporter was also fined 500 Zimbabwe dollars (US$9).

On September 9 Majoni wrote an article in the "Daily Mirror's" first edition
alleging that Police Commissioner Augustine Chihuri was unhealthy and unfit for
duty. The article was immediately dismissed as untrue. Majoni was arrested and
questioned a few days later by police before being charged under the Police Act
and ordered to appear before a police hearing.

Tomana said the state also alleged Majoni gathered information for the article
before he had been properly retired from the police on September 4 and this was
said to be "in conflict with his being an officer."

"We think they have erred," added Tomana.

Ends

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Information distributed by:
Zoe Titus
MISA Researcher & Information Officer
Media Institute of Southern Africa (MISA)
Private Bag 13386
Windhoek, Namibia
Tel. +264 61 232975, Fax. 248016
e-mail: [email protected]
web: http://www.misa.org

MEDIA INSTITUTE OF SOUTHERN AFRICA
PROMOTING MEDIA DIVERSITY, PLURALISM, SELF-SUFFICIENCY AND INDEPENDENCE