Zimbabwean police on Monday arrested an investigative journalist who exposed alleged corruption in the procurement of Covid-19 medical supplies, a matter that involves the first family.
Hopewell Chin’ono’s lawyers said he was “abducted” by eight state security agents who did not produce a search warrant.
One of the lawyers, Beatrice Mtetwa, said she went to Mr Chin’ono’s residence after getting an “SOS that his home was surrounded by state security agents”.
Ms Mtetwa described the arrest as an abduction, saying the state agents broke into the house.
Via Twitter, the Committee to Protect Journalists called Mr Chin’ono’s immediate release, saying he was “abducted from his home by police”.
It added, “Authorities must stop harassing Hopewell Chin’ono and focus on the real criminals. Do the the right thing & #FreeHimNow [sic].”
MASS PROTESTS
The Zimbabwe Lawyers for Human Rights said it had been denied access to the journalist, who is being held alongside an opposition leader Jacob Ngarivhume.
Mr Ngarivhume of Transform Zimbabwe is one of the organisers of mass protests planned for July 31 against alleged corruption in high places.
President Emmerson Mnangagwa’s government has vowed to crush the protests, saying they would be a violation of lockdown regulations to stop the spread of Covid-19.
There is growing discontent over the government’s handling of corruption cases involving the resident’s inner circle.
A fortnight ago, Mr Mnangagwa fired Health minister Obadiah Moyo after he was arrested for his role in the procurement scandal, where the government paid $60 million to a company that allegedly inflated prices.
Mr Chin’ono was among investigative journalists who first exposed the scandal and linked one of the President’s sons to the controversial company.
ACTION
Last week the ruling Zanu PF threatened unspecified action against the journalist after singling him out as one of the people allegedly tarnishing the image of the President.
The United States embassy in Harare said it was “deeply concerned for his welfare” following the arrest.
“President Mnangagwa noted the important role investigative journalists like Hopewell Chin’ono play in shedding light on corruption,” the embassy tweeted. “Political intimidation of the press has no place in democracies.”
President Mnangagwa, who took over from strongman Robert Mugabe following a 2017 military coup, promised to stop the harassment of journalists and “bring a new kind of democracy”.
His critics, however, say he is increasingly becoming autocratic as pressure mounts on him over his failure to turn around the economy.
