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Fungai Lupande Court Reporter
The trial date for The Sunday Mail Editor Mabasa Sasa, investigations editor Brian Chitemba and reporter Tinashe Farawo who are accused of publishing falsehoods has been set for February 29 next year. The trio is facing charges of communicating or publishing false statements prejudicial to the State. They are on $100 bail and appeared before Harare magistrate Mr Elijah Makomo.
Sasa, Chitemba and Farawo were arrested following the publication of an investigative article on November 1, 2015. The article stated that a senior police officer, Parks and Wildlife Management Authority of Zimbabwe rangers and Asians were part of a syndicate that is responsible for the poaching that has seen 55 elephants being killed since early 2015.
The prosecutor Mr Sebastian Mutizirwa alleged that following the killing of 22 elephants by poachers using suspected cyanide poison, the accused published a story, “Top cop fingered in poaching saga.”
It is alleged that the trio knew that no assistant commissioner of the police was being investigated for being involved in the poaching of the elephants nor has ZRP made any arrest in connection with the crime.
The publication of the alleged false statement was communicated nationally and internationally causing an outcry from the international community who support the tourism industry.
The trio is accused of publishing falsehoods that would adversely affect the tourism industry and the economy.
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