Kahiya and Chimakure are accused of breaching Section 31 of the Criminal Law (Codification and Reform) Act which deals with publishing false statements that undermines public confidence in security agents.
The two were arrested on 11 May 2009 after publishing a story headlined CIO, Police role in Activist abduction revealed naming security agents that were allegedly involved in the abduction of civic and political activists in the Zimbabwe Independent edition of 8-14 May 2009.
They had been attending court since 2009 but their trial could not proceed at the Magistrates Courts after they made application for referral to Supreme Court on 16 June 2009 challenging the constitutionality of Section 31 of the Criminal Law (Codification and Reform) Act under which they are being charged. Since then the case has been on remand.
On 16 December 2010 their lawyer Chris Mhike applied for refusal of further remand which the state did not oppose but simply asked the court to use its discretion when the matter was brought for hearing on 18 March 2011.
Post published in: Politics