Magistrate John Masimba on Monday sentenced the three South Africans – Bernet Hassen Sono, Resemate Chauke, and Simon Maodi to an effective six months in jail each.
The magistrate found the three guilty of contravening Section 33 of the Postal and Telecommunications Act Chapter 12, 03 that prohibits the possession of broadcasting equipment without a licence.
In passing the six month jail sentence, Masimba said although the three indicated that the broadcasting equipment did not belong to them, possession of the equipment was an offence and leniency on the trio would send a wrong signal.
However, lawyers for the South Africans said in the appeal that the jail sentence was excessive and that a fine would have been adequate punishment.
The sentence is unheard of and a shock. The magistrate should have considered the option of a fine and not a jail term. The magistrate did also not look at the proper provisions of sentence of such an offence, said Tawengwa Hara, one of the defence lawyers in an interview.
The offence should only attract a penalty of a fine, added the lawyer.
The jail sentence was imposed on the South Africans days after President Robert Mugabe’s press secretary George Charamba warned that the government would deal harshly with foreign journalists who sneak into the country to cover the June 27 presidential run-off election between Mugabe and opposition leader, Morgan Tsvangirai.
Zimbabwean authorities have barred foreign media, especially from the West, from covering the country’s elections alleging that the media groups were pushing a regime change agenda against the government.
But several foreign journalists have continued to sneak into the country to report on worsening political violence and human rights abuses ahead of the run-off poll.
Meanwhile Reuters photographer Howard Burditt found guilty of possessing an unregistered satellite phone was sentenced to two months imprisonment, wholly suspended for three years. Burditt was also asked to pay a fine of Z$20 billion.
Under Zimbabwe’s tough broadcasting laws, owners of satellite phones must register the gadgets with the authorities. – ZimOnline
Post published in: News