Hopewell Chin’ono denied bail, again

INCARCERATED Journalist Hopewell Chin’ono, who is being accused of posting a tweet which allegedly undermined the judicial system, was yesterday denied bail by Harare magistrate Marehwanazvo Gofa.

Chin’ono was on bail on another case where he is being charged with inciting public violence.

He had spent 45 days in custody. Gofa denied Chin’ono bail on the basis that he was likely to commit another offence since he committed the crime while on bail.

She remanded him to November 26, 2020.

Through his lawyers Beatrice Mtetwa and Gift Mtisi, Chin’ono had initially challenged his placement on remand, arguing that by posting the tweet, he was simply executing his journalistic duties.

Gofa, however, dismissed the application.

In the tweet which he posted on October 26, 2020, Chin’ono claimed that his sources from the National Prosecution Authority (NPA) had informed him that the State was not going to oppose bail for suspended Zimbabwe Miners Federation president Henrietta Rushwaya, who is facing gold smuggling charges.

The State argued that the tweet intended to also prejudice Rushwaya’s trial and his own.

But Chin’ono argued that in journalism, sources could drop information anonymously, therefore, it didn’t necessarily mean it were actually the NPA staff who provided the information.

He refused to name his sources in court.

Chin’ono will appeal Gofa’s bail ruling at the High Court. Speaking outside the courts, lawyer Doug Coltart said it was unjustifiable for Chin’ono to be denied bail on the basis that he had the propensity to commit another crime when he had no previous convictions.