Rogue Mugabe Regime must release Peter Moyo!

Television journalist arrested in Zimbabwe

February 09, 2007, 12:00

Television channel e-TV confirmed today that one of its journalists had been arrested in eastern Zimbabwe earlier this week. A spokesperson says Peter Moyo had appeared in court in Mutare on Wednesday on charges of working without accreditation and was released on bail. Moyo is a Zimbabwean national who works at e-TV in South Africa as a producer.

He was expected to be on his way back to South Africa.

It was reported today that Moyo was arrested on Tuesday together with cameraman William Gumbo and another Zimbabwean named only as Trymore, according to the state-controlled Herald newspaper. The two are Zimbabweans hired in Zimbabwe and that no further information was immediately available on them. Reports are that the three were arrested in Mutare and were found in possession of tapes which showed they had been filming in the Marange and Bikita districts.

Clamp down
Police in the area have been trying to clamp down on illegal diamond mining and dealing.

Gumbo normally works for Zimbabwean state television, but had allegedly offered to work for Moyo and help him film illegal diamond dealings in Marange. The third person is also alleged to have been hired by Moyo.

Police seized their cameras, videotapes and what was described as a "spy video camera disguised as an ordinary satchel," the report read.

Dozens of journalists, including several foreign reporters have been arrested under Zimbabwe's strict press laws since they came into effect in 2002. Working without accreditation can result in prison sentences of up to two years. - Sapa