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Alert

Cameraman abducted and murdered; killing may be linked to politically sensitive footage of injured opposition leader

(MISA/IFEX) - According to reports by Britain's "The Independent" newspaper, a Zimbabwean freelance cameraman, Edward Chikombo, was abducted from his home in the Glenview township outside Harare. His body was discovered on the weekend near the village of Darwendale, 80 kilometres west of the capital, Harare.

"The Independent" reports that Chikombo's killing may be linked to the smuggling out of the country of television pictures of the badly injured opposition leader Morgan Tsvangirai after he was beaten by police on 11 March 2007.

Eyewitnesses allege seeing a group of armed men abduct Chikombo on 29 March. His captors reportedly drove a silver pick-up truck of the same make used in numerous similar abductions during a sustained three-week terror campaign targeting government opponents.

MISA Zimbabwe has so far established that Chikombo retired from the Zimbabwe Broadcasting Corporation (ZBC) in 2002. At this juncture it is not clear if the incident is a direct result of his continued work as a journalist. MISA Zimbabwe continues to investigate the status of his professional life at the time of the incident.