Cablegate: Case Against Daily News Editor Dismissed

This record is a partial extract of the original cable. The full text of the original cable is not available.

UNCLASSIFIED PTO0041

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FM AMEMBASSY HARARE
TO SECSTATE WASHDC PRIORITY 0343
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AMEMBASSY PRETORIA
AMEMBASSY LUSAKA
AMEMBASSY LONDON

UNCLAS HARARE 003511

SIPDIS

AF/PD FOR COX, ROBERTSON, AF/S FOR SCHLACHTER, AF/P, NSC
FOR JENDAYI FRAZER

E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: ZI PREL PHUM
SUBJECT: CASE AGAINST DAILY NEWS EDITOR DISMISSED

1. CHARGES AGAINST THE INDEPENDENT "DAILY NEWS" EDITOR-
IN-CHIEF GEOFF NYAROTA AND HIS FORMER BUSINESS PARTNER
WILF MBANGA WERE DISMISSED ON NOVEMBER 16 FOR LACK OF
EVIDENCE. THE RULING BY HARARE MAGISTRATE WESTON
NYAMWANZA INCLUDES LIFTING OF ALL BAIL CONDITIONS.

2. NYAROTA AND MBANGA WERE ARRESTED ON NOVEMBER 8 ON
ALLEGATIONS OF FRAUD OR CONTRAVENTION OF INVESTMENT
PROCEDURES. IN DISMISSING THE CASE, THE MAGISTRATE
CRITICIZED THE WAY THE POLICE CONDUCTED THE
INVESTIGATIONS IN THE MATTER, SAYING THE POLICE HAD
"GONE ON TO ARREST WITHOUT ANY REASONABLE SUSPICION."
THE COURT RULED THAT IT WAS IN THE INTEREST OF JUSTICE
TO REMOVE ALL BAIL CONDITIONS FROM NYAROTA AND MBANGA.
MAGISTRATE NYAMWANZA DID SAY THAT THE STATE COULD SUMMON
THE TWO FOR TRIAL IF IT ASSEMBLED MORE EVIDENCE AND
DECIDED TO PROCEED WITH THE CASE.

SULLIVAN

UNCLASSIFIED

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