Three Zimbabwean journalists were charged Wednesday over a report alleging that several policemen and wildlife officials were involved in the poisoning of some 60 elephants in recent months. Sunday Mail editor Mabasa Sasa, investigations editor, Brian Chitemba and reporter Tinashe Farawo appeared in court and were charged with publishing false statements, and face up to 20 years in jail if convicted.
They were arrested Monday, after the paper published a story alleging that a police assistant commissioner, rangers and wildlife department officials, an Asian businessman and several junior officers were being investigated for the recent poisoning elephants in separate incidents. The police have denied that their officers were being probed over the poisoning.
The journalists' arrests sparked condemnation from media and rights groups including Amnesty International and the Voluntary Media Council of Zimbabwe (VMCZ). The magistrate court in the capital Harare released the journalists on a $100 bail each. They were ordered to report to the police station once a week until their next court appearance on November 27. An investigating officer in the case opposed the bail, citing "irreparable" damage cause by the report.
"The country has suffered irreparable damage by the publication of these falsehoods," Oscar Mugomeri said. Scores of elephants have died from poisoning by suspected poachers near Zimbabwe's main game reserve, Hwange, and near the border with Botswana in recent months. Some of the carcasses were found without tusks. Officers from the parks department were arrested last month in connection with the poisoning.
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