NPA presures High Court to continue criminal proceedings against Chin’ono

Prominent investigative journalist, Hopwell Chin’ono says the National Prosecution Authority of Zimbabwe (NPA) is pasting the High Court to set aside its recent ruling quashing his prosecution.

Chin’ono says he is shocked that the NPA insists that a law struck down in the old constitution, would have been resuscitated by the new constitution, adding that the matter was settled in 2016 by the Constitutional Court.

“The National Prosecution Authority of Zimbabwe is asking the High Court to set aside the ruling quashing my prosecution & declaring that “…there is no offense called publishing or communicating statements prejudicial to the State under Zimbabwean law.

“I am shocked that the National Prosecution Authority of Zimbabwe insists that a law struck down in the old constitution, would have been resuscitated by the new constitution.

“This matter was settled in 2016 by the Constitutional Court,” he says.

This follows a recent judgment by High Court judge Justice Jester Charewa who quashed criminal proceedings against the renowned journalist.

Giving her ruling, Justice Charewa declared that section 31 of the Criminal Law Act (publishing falsehoods) is no longer part of Zimbabwean law, her ruling therefore set aside Harare Magistrate Lazini Ncube’s decision to place Chin’ono on remand.

-Zwnews