Charges against Daily News editor Geoff Nyarota and his business partner Wilf Mbanga were dismissed for lack of evidence.
The two were charged with contravening the Zimbabwe Investment Centre Act in the way they incorporated the Daily News.
The magistrate Weston Nyamwanza criticised the way the police had conducted the investigation saying they had gone onto arrest the two without reasonable suspicion.
Full cable:
Viewing cable 01HARARE3511, CASE AGAINST DAILY NEWS EDITOR DISMISSED
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This record is a partial extract of the original cable. The full text of the original cable is not available.
UNCLASSIFIED PTO0041
PAGE 01 HARARE 03511 211843Z
ACTION AF-00
INFO LOG-00 NP-00 A-00 ACQ-00 CIAE-00 INL-00 DODE-00
DS-00 EUR-00 UTED-00 VC-00 TEDE-00 INR-00 L-00
VCE-00 NSAE-00 TEST-00 USIE-00 IIP-00 DSCC-00 DRL-02
NFAT-00 SAS-00 /002W
——————419506 211844Z /38
FM AMEMBASSY HARARE
TO SECSTATE WASHDC PRIORITY 0343
INFO NSC WASHDC
AMEMBASSY PRETORIA
AMEMBASSY LUSAKA
AMEMBASSY LONDON
UNCLAS HARARE 003511
SIPDIS
AF/PD FOR COX, ROBERTSON, AF/S FOR SCHLACHTER, AF/P, NSC
FOR JENDAYI FRAZER
E.O. 12958: N/A
SUBJECT: CASE AGAINST DAILY NEWS EDITOR DISMISSED
¶1. CHARGES AGAINST THE INDEPENDENT “DAILY NEWS” EDITOR-
IN-CHIEF GEOFF NYAROTA AND HIS FORMER BUSINESS PARTNER
WILF MBANGA WERE DISMISSED ON NOVEMBER 16 FOR LACK OF
EVIDENCE. THE RULING BY HARARE MAGISTRATE WESTON
NYAMWANZA INCLUDES LIFTING OF ALL BAIL CONDITIONS.
¶2. NYAROTA AND MBANGA WERE ARRESTED ON NOVEMBER 8 ON
ALLEGATIONS OF FRAUD OR CONTRAVENTION OF INVESTMENT
PROCEDURES. IN DISMISSING THE CASE, THE MAGISTRATE
CRITICIZED THE WAY THE POLICE CONDUCTED THE
INVESTIGATIONS IN THE MATTER, SAYING THE POLICE HAD
“GONE ON TO ARREST WITHOUT ANY REASONABLE SUSPICION.”
THE COURT RULED THAT IT WAS IN THE INTEREST OF JUSTICE
TO REMOVE ALL BAIL CONDITIONS FROM NYAROTA AND MBANGA.
MAGISTRATE NYAMWANZA DID SAY THAT THE STATE COULD SUMMON
THE TWO FOR TRIAL IF IT ASSEMBLED MORE EVIDENCE AND
DECIDED TO PROCEED WITH THE CASE.
SULLIVAN
UNCLASSIFIED
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