Government plans to detain me during campaigns and release me after 2023 elections- Hopewell Chin’ono

Renowned investigative journalist Hopewell Chin’ono says the state is deliberately dragging its feet in finalising court cases against him it wants to silence him during election campaigns to start next year.

Chin’ono who has been exposing high level corruption cases is being accused of inciting the public to revolt against President Emmerson Mnangagwa’s government.

He says when the matter was heard today, the State prosecutor said that he has been instructed to send his docket to their bosses at National Prosecuting Authority for what he called “further management” and wants the matter remanded again to November, yet the State has said it would be ready to prosecute in November last year.

Meanwhile, he says this is a ploy to detain him during election campaigns.

“Their plan is to get us convicted during the election campaigning period so that by the time we appeal & come out, the election will be over!

“This why Harvard professor Steve Levitsky said that Zimbabwe is not and was NEVER a democracy. Persecution of critics is vile,” he says.

Zwnews