Whistle-blowing Zimbabwean journalist arrested

Zimbabwean journalist Hopewell Chin’ono has been arrested and charged with inciting public violence after exposing alleged government corruption involving coronavirus supplies. 

Mr Chin’ono live-streamed his arrest before being told to put his phone away. The video showed approximately eight security agents, who smashed through Mr Chin’ono’s patio door. 

The leader of the opposition party Transform Zambia, Jacob Ngarivhume, was also arrested in Harare on similar charges. 

A statement by Zimbabwe’s police seems to confirm that the two arrests were connected. 

Mr Chin’ono’s reporting on alleged Covid-19 procurement fraud within the ministry of health led to the arrest and sacking of Health Minister Obadiah Moyo. 

President Emmerson Mnangagwa fired Mr Moyo earlier this month for “inappropriate conduct” over the $60m medicines supply scandal. 

The opposition MDC party have said the state are persecuting a journalist for exposing government corruption. 

A government official responded on Twitter, saying that journalists are not above the law. 

The US embassy have called Mr Chin’ono’s arrest deeply concerning, while his lawyer called it an abduction.

“We’re not sure where he has been taken. His helper says they did not produce any warrant when they came to his house,” human rights lawyer Beatrice Mtetwa said in a statement. 

Campaign group Amnesty accused Zimbabwean authorities of “misusing the criminal justice system to persecute journalists and activists" and said "the arrests of Hopewell Chin'ono and Jacob Ngarivhume are designed to intimidate”.

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