Court Update – Arrested Journalist Hopewell Chin’ono’s Court Appearance
6 November 2020
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12:06pm- State asks Chin’ono if the arresting police officer placed a hand on him when he announced his arrest

12:05pm- State now cross examining Chin’ono

12:04pm- Chin’ono says he appeared in court at 1832hours yesterday.

12:03pm- The state says the number that sent the voice note is currently online yet the accused person has been in remand.

12:01pm- The state is objecting the use of the voice note as evidence saying there is no voice expert. The state also says the nature, model of the phone has not been brought to court.

11:55am- Chin’ono says he communicated of his arrest to his lawyer Beatrice Mtetwa through a voice note

11:53am- Asked where he was at 1800hrs on the day he was arrested, Chin’ono says he was at the Law and Order section at Harare Central police station

11:49am- Cross examination continues

11:45am- Magistrate Gofa rules against use of CCTV footage saying the issues raised by the state cannot be ignored.

11:42am- In response, Beatrice says the onus is on the state to prove its case that Chin’ono was not over detained

11:38am- State objects to the CCTV footage says it is now on a laptop and the equipment used has not been brought before the court. State says the picture quality is poor which cannot show the registration number of vehicles, this raises tempering questions.

11:35am- State papers says they arrested him at 1800hrs

11:30am- Chin’ono says he has a 32 camera CCTV which shows every part of his house including bedrooms. The footage has been brought to court to prove that he was arrested just after 5

11:26am- Chin’ono says the police arrived at his house just after 5pm.

11:23am- Chin’ono takes to witness stand to be cross examined by Beatrice Mtetwa on her application for over detention

11:20am- State says it is up to the accused’s lawyer to prove if her client was over detained.

11:17am- Mtetwa is making an application that Chin’ono was over detained beyond the 48 hours

11: 15am- Hopewell Chin’ono’s lawyer Beatrice Mtetwa says her client was taken to remand and whisked to Chikurubi maximum prison where he was leg ironed despite not being a security threat.

She demand answers why he was taken to Chikurubi maximum security and subjected to security procedures done on serious criminals.