A ZIMBABWEAN court on Monday 14 January 2018 set free a pro-democracy campaigner, who had endured two nights in police detention after he was arrested during the weekend for allegedly recording a video at Robert Mugabe International Airport.
The 26 year-old Makomborero Haruzivishe was arrested by Zimbabwe Republic Police officers on Saturday 12 January 2019 for allegedly recording a video in a restricted area as defined in section 4(3)(5)(6) of the Protected Places and Areas Act.
Prosecutors claimed that Haruzivishe on Friday 11 January 2019 unlawfully recorded a video of a meeting he held with Evans Siziba, the Assistant Regional Immigration Officer and other state security officers without the authority, permission and clearance of the Civil Aviation Authority of Zimbabwe (CAAZ) using an unknown gadget.
The meeting was reportedly held after Haruzivishe visited Robert Mugabe International Airport to enquire about the detention of some of his colleagues by some immigration officials at the airport.
Prosecutors claimed that after recording the video, Haruzivishe uploaded the video on social media including on his Twitter account in defiance of directives issued by Gilbert Chimoto, who is employed by CAAZ as an aviation security officer.
The State charged that the video allegedly recorded by Haruzivishe had gone viral on social media and is a threat on the security of the Robert Mugabe International Airport.
Haruzivishe, who was represented by Gift Mtisi of Zimbabwe Lawyers for Human Rights, was set free on Monday 14 January 2019 after he was granted bail amounting to $50 by Harare Magistrate Barbara Mateko, who ordered him not to interfere with state witnesses and to continue residing at his given residential address as part of his bail conditions.
Source: Zimbabwe Lawyers for Human Rights
