Zimbabwe: Top journalist gets bail, barred from Twitter

HARARE, Zimbabwe

A Zimbabwean court on Wednesday granted bail to a top journalist and a politician after more than a month in prison.

Journalist Hopewell Chin’ono will secure his bail against 10,000 Zimbabwean dollars ($120).

Politician Jacob Ngarivhume will have to pay 50,000 Zimbabwean dollars ($600).

The duo was arrested in connection with a protest in July against corruption in the coronavirus funds for the country.

"Hopewell has been asked to surrender title deeds to his house, passport and report three times a week to the nearest police station," his lawyer Doug Coltart told reporters outside the Harare High Court.

He has also been barred from using his Twitter account until the case against him concludes.

There were health concerns after the journalist exhibited some COVID-19 symptoms. After initial denials from prison authorities, a private doctor conducted his test. The results are yet to be made public.

Ngarivhume has also been barred from using his Twitter account and has to report thrice a week to the police, his lawyer Moses Nkomo said.

Human rights activists, foreign embassies and Zimbabweans have reiterated the journalist is being targeted for exposing the alleged $60-million corruption case against President Emmerson Mnangagwa’s family.

A social media campaign against the arrest of the duo dubbed #ZimbabweanLivesMatter kicked off sparking global condemnation of alleged human rights abuses in the country.