Harare – In a move that has ignited a firestorm of condemnation both locally and internationally, Harare magistrate Farai Gwitima has denied bail to Alpha Media Holdings (AMH) senior journalist Blessed Mhlanga, remanding him in custody until March 14.
The decision, which carries the potential for a five-year prison sentence, has been decried as a blatant attack on press freedom and a chilling example of the Mnangagwa administration’s tightening grip on dissent.
Police arrested Mhlanga on Monday after he handed himself over following visits by law enforcement agents to HSTV offices.
The State alleges that Mhlanga broadcast content from a press conference addressed by Geza, in which the war veteran called on President Emmerson Mnangagwa to resign over alleged grand corruption and other misdeeds. AMH are the publishers of NewsDay, The Standard, and Zimbabwe Independent.
The arrest and subsequent denial of bail have sparked national outrage, with media organisations and rights groups condemning the actions as a direct assault on the constitutional rights of journalists and the public’s right to access information.
In denying Mhlanga bail, Magistrate Gwitima sided with the State’s argument that the journalist was likely to interfere with witnesses if released. He further asserted that Mhlanga’s release would pose a threat to national security, claiming that the disseminated messages were likely to incite violence and breach the peace.
“What clearly emerges is that a disseminated message will incite violence. Any interpretation to the contrary is incorrect. Accordingly, the release of the accused will put the nation in unrest and undermine peace and security,” Magistrate Gwitima stated. “In the circumstances, it is the court’s finding that the state has managed to give compelling reasons justifying the continued detention of the accused person. Accordingly, bail is denied.”
He added, “What is an issue is not that applicant gathered and disseminated information. It is that information which he gathered which was intended to incite public violence,” the magistrate said.
The magistrate also stated that, “It is a delicate discretion.”
Gwatima added that the likelihood that an accused will abscond or interfere with investigations should be strongly supported.
“Turning to the present application, it is my considered view that grounds 3, 4, and 5…his position at work, if granted bail, he is likely to interfere. Of critical importance, some of the witnesses have not been recorded hence, his release will jeopardise investigations.”
Trevor Ncube, publisher of Alpha Media Holdings, delivered a scathing rebuke of the Mnangagwa administration following the bail denial. “It is saddening, it is heartbreaking, but it was to be expected,” Ncube told reporters outside the court. “The real surprise would have been if the court had seriously applied itself to the case before it.”
Ncube decried what he called the “selective application of the law” in Zimbabwe, asserting that Mhlanga was simply practicing his profession, a right constitutionally protected. “Blessed did not say any of the things he is accused of saying. He is not HSTV or AMH—he is simply a journalist practicing his profession, which is constitutionally protected,” Ncube said.
In a particularly damning statement, Ncube accused the judiciary of operating under President Mnangagwa’s direct control. “President Mnangagwa owns the courts. They have said they own the military, they own the police, and they will do as they please. What we saw today is not justice. It is not fair, and it is not supported by our Constitution,” he declared.
Ncube warned that the ruling sets a dangerous precedent, placing journalists at increased risk. “It is clear that under these circumstances, you do this job at your own risk. The courts will not protect you; they will side with the regime. But this should not make us afraid. We must continue to do what is right—by the law, by our Constitution, and by the public,” he urged.
He also linked the case to Zimbabwe’s broader business environment, arguing that a fair legal system was crucial to the country’s credibility.
“The application of the law must reflect fairness and justice. What happened today is a bad reflection on our country,” Ncube said.
The decision to make Mhlanga wear prison garb ahead of the bail ruling has sparked outrage and accusations of selective justice. Critics have pointed out that other high-profile figures, such as journalist Hopewell Chin’ono and politician Job Sikhala, were allowed to wear their own clothes while in remand.
Abel Runga, speaking to Change Radio before the postponement, described Mhlanga’s treatment as a case of selective justice. “Blessed Mhlanga should not be treated like a convicted prisoner, especially since the state’s case against him is weak,” Runga said. He also argued that the arrest was an attack on constitutional provisions, particularly Section 61 (freedom of expression), Section 62 (right to access information), and Section 141 (protecting public participation in law-making processes).
Toneo, a local media personality, has even called for a media blackout in protest of Mhlanga’s detention, stating, “If they don’t give Blessed Mhlanga bail, my media house will stop publishing or posting news for 14 days.”
The Committee to Protect Journalists (CPJ) has also weighed in on the matter, calling on Zimbabwean authorities to immediately release Mhlanga. “It is absolutely shameful that Blessed Mhlanga has been thrown behind bars simply because he gave voice to a war veteran’s criticism of Zimbabwe’s government,” said CPJ Africa Program Coordinator, Muthoki Mumo, in Nairobi. “Zimbabwean authorities should free Mhlanga unconditionally and respond to their citizens’ concerns, rather than punishing the messenger.”
Mhlanga, who works with the privately owned Heart and Soul TV, had previously reported that three armed men came to his office searching for him on February 17, soon after which the police phoned him to ask him to come in for questioning. On February 21, the police issued a statement seeking information about Mhlanga’s whereabouts. Mhlanga responded to the police summons on February 24 and was subsequently arrested.
According to the Zimbabwe chapter of the Media Institute of Southern Africa, the Zimbabwe Lawyers for Human Rights network, and Mhlanga’s lawyer Chris Mhike, he faces two counts of transmission of data messages “inciting violence or damage to property” under the 2021 Cyber and Data Protection Act. If found guilty, Mhlanga could face up to five years in jail and a fine of up to US$700.
Prosecutors had opposed Mhlanga’s bail application, arguing that he was a flight risk, Mhike told CPJ.
Mhlanga was previously assaulted and arrested in 2022 while covering the attempted arrest of an opposition politician, highlighting a pattern of harassment against journalists in Zimbabwe.
The denial of bail to Blessed Mhlanga has not only raised serious concerns about the state of press freedom in Zimbabwe but has also cast a dark shadow over the country’s commitment to upholding constitutional rights and the rule of law.
