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August 11 2005: Jakachira appeared briefly in court where his defence lawyer applied for hisacquittal on charges of practicing journalism without accreditation.August 17, 2005: Magistrate dismisses application for his acquittal.August 31, 2005: Harare magistrate Prisca Chigumba acquits Jakachira saying he had compliedwith the application procedures and the State’s evidence was vague and confused.ALERT (including updates)Date: August 12, 2005Persons/Institutions: Willie MpondaViolation: SentencedOn August 12 2005, Editor of The Sun newspaper, Willie Mponda, was convicted of publishinga false statement prejudicial to the State in terms of Section 15 (1) (c ) of the Public Orderand Security Act (POSA). This follows the publication of a story on June 10, 2005, whichclaimed that a Gweru woman had committed suicide after her two telephone shops were destroyedunder the controversial clean-up campaign code named, Operation Restore Order. Hewas fined Z$100 000. The offence carries a five-year prison term, or alternatively both suchfine and imprisonment.August 3, 2005: Mponda pleads not guilty to publishing falsehoods in terms of Section 15 (1)(c) of POSA. The trial was adjourned to August 11, 2005, after charges were read to Mponda.June 16, 2005: Mponda is charged with contravening Section 15 (1) (c) Chapter 11:17 of thePublic Order and Security Act (POSA).This followed publication of a story in The Sun on 10 June 2005 that a Gweru woman hadcommitted suicide after her two telephone shops were destroyed under the controversial cleanupcampaign code named, Operation Restore Order.ALERTDate: July 13, 2005Persons/Institutions: African Tribune Newspapers (ATN), publishers of The Tribuneweekly newspaperViolation: CensoredOn July 13 2005, the Media and Information Commission (MIC) denied African Tribune Newspapers(ATN), publishers of The Tribune weekly newspaper, an operating licence saying themedia house had failed to meet the requirements for re-registration in terms of AIPPA byfailing to prove that it had the requisite capital to resume publication.ALERTDate: June 17, 2005Persons/Institutions: Hosea ChipangaViolation: ThreatenedOn June 17 2005, DStv subscribers in Bulawayo were questioned by the police as to the sourceof the foreign currency they use to pay their monthly subscriptions.The police said they were justified to investigate cases where they suspect crimes were beingcommitted.ALERTDate: June 13, 2005Persons/Institutions: Media and People of ZimbabweViolation: LegislationOn June 2 2005, President Robert Mugabe signed the Criminal Law (Codification and Reform)Bill into law after it was passed into law by parliament towards the end of 2004.Zimbabwean journalists now risk spending 20 years in jail if convicted for publication orSo This Is Democracy? 2005-164-Media Institute of Southern Africa