By A Correspondent | ZimEye | Prominent Zimbabwean journalist Hopewell Chin’ono who was the favourite legal-opinion-driver of the British solicitor to a blood cousin of former MP Job Sikhala, William Chinyanga’s prosecution case, is under fire.
Chin’ono, who has failed to produce the evidence of financial abuse he accuses opposition leader, Nelson Chamisa of, is facing criticism for misleading public opinion by prematurely labeling Hon. Sikhala’s cousin as guilty of terrorism following funeral poetry uttered during mourning for Nelson Chamisa’s party members in 2019.
This was a year before any trial had been conducted.
Chin’ono’s public comments, which cast Chinyanga’s funeral poetry as criminal, have sparked concern about the influence of media figures on judicial proceedings, especially given recent revelations from Chinyanga’s legal team.
Scores of Zimbabweans are in support of Chinyanga, who later got convicted for incitement as a result, as they maintain that his words are common hyperbolic funeral poetry rather than actual threats of terrorism. However, Chin’ono publicly characterized Chinyanga’s statements as a “crime of terrorism,” claiming that he advocated for the burning of fuel stations—a claim that Chinyanga’s supporters argue is both misleading and exaggerated.
https://twitter.com/zimeye/status/1854800630365209050?s=46
As a result of Chin’ono’s opinion which is favoured by the British solicitor Madeleine Corr, Justice Dove who conducted the trial, announced saying Chinyanga is guilty because he has no one to his side, even though millions of Zimbabweans were present at the court premises, represented by the publisher of both the language Chinyanga was prosecuted over, and the very news articles the jury was subjected to peruse without context meanings.
In a post on social media, Chin’ono stated that he is a better activist than Chinyanga, “Some folks in the Varakashi camp are making embarrassing FALSE equivalence to this article! This man was charged in Britain because advocating for burning of fuel stations is a crime of terrorism. It is different from Jacob Ngarivhume calling for Peaceful Anti-Looting Protests protected by our constitution.” This declaration has led to accusations that Chin’ono acted irresponsibly, using his platform to condemn Chinyanga without a final court ruling.
In a later development, Chinyanga’s solicitor, Madeleine Corr revealed to Chinyanga that she intended to rely on Chin’ono’s opinion in building his defense strategy. She said “can we get Hopewell Chin’ono to testify in your case as he is a high profile person highly respected?… I refused because Chin’ono is compromised,” Chinyanga reveals.
Chinyanga however firmly rejected this approach. “I blatantly refuse to incorporate Chin’ono on my case because I know he is compromised.” Chinyanga’s refusal underscores his mistrust of Chin’ono, whom he believes to be compromised in his objectivity, particularly given Chin’ono’s public assertions of guilt.
This incident is not the only one there are several others where the Journalist has been caught on camera misleading the Sikhala family, and at one time he deceived Sikhala’s brother and the former MP’s best friend Tafadzwa Musekiwa saying Nelson Chamisa has abandoned him to rot in jail.
This case has sparked intense debate on social media and among legal experts, with some accusing Chin’ono of hypocrisy. While he has previously advocated for constitutional rights and due process in Zimbabwe, critics argue that he has now prematurely labeled a fellow Zimbabwean as guilty of terrorism under a foreign jurisdiction. In another controversial statement, Chin’ono defended his stance, stating, “Western embassies condemn arbitrary arrests and malicious prosecutions in Zimbabwe because the victims would not have committed a crime according to our law, the constitution! I was arrested and accused of tweeting something I never tweeted, and charged under a law that doesn’t exist…”
Chinyanga is now fighting for his appeal and against deportation of which he has opened a GofundMe campaign:
Meanwhile, Chin’ono’s many misleading statements have opened new discussions over who he is and what he is trying to achieve on top of his government in exile project, and Chinyanga responds as follows, video: