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Alert

ANZ directors plead not guilty to charges of publishing without a licence

(MISA/IFEX) - On 9 June 2004, four directors of The Associated Newspapers of Zimbabwe (ANZ), publishers of the banned newspapers "The Daily News" and "The Daily News on Sunday", pleaded not guilty to charges of publishing without a licence.

The four face charges under Section 66 of the Access to Information and Protection of Privacy Act (AIPPA) for publishing without a licence granted by the government-appointed Media and Information Commission (MIC). The state contends that ANZ directors Samuel Nkomo, Rachel Kupara, Michael Mattinson and Brian Mutsau published "The Daily News" illegally on 24 October 2003, six weeks after the paper was shut down. "The Daily News" comeback edition was published a day after an administrative court ruled that the MIC had erred in denying the ANZ a licence when it applied for one in September.

MIC executive chairperson Tafataona Mahoso testified that the newspaper editors misinterpreted the court ruling and should have waited before restarting publication of the newspaper. On 23 October, an administrative court ordered that the ANZ be granted a licence by 30 November. Resuming publication immediately was "the accussed's interpretation" of the judgment, said Mahoso.

"Following the judgment of 23 October 2003, [the paper] should have waited until after 30 November," he contended. "In my understanding, the Associated Newspapers of Zimbabwe was publishing outside the law," said Mahoso.

If convicted, ANZ directors could each be fined Z$300,000 (approx. US$55) or be sentenced to two years in prison. The trial was scheduled to continue on 10 June.