POLICE detectives in Harare yesterday morning raided Sunday Mail and Zimbabwe Independent offices looking for the publications’ editors Edmund Kudzayi and Dumisani Muleya, respectively, in a suspected high-level conspiracy search believed to be aimed at unmasking the face behind controversial Facebook character Baba Jukwa.
PAIDAMOYO MUZULU/NDAMU SANDU
Although there was no official police comment last night, Chronicle editor Mduduzi Mathuthu tweeted that Kudzayi, who was arrested later yesterday, was facing serious charges including plotting insurgency, terrorism and undermining the authority of the President.
Mathuthu (@Mathuthu) wrote: “4 charges for Sunday Mail editor, includes plotting insurgency and terrorism + undermining authority of President. Sad!”
Zimpapers group editor-in-chief Pikirayi Deketeke yesterday confirmed the arrest of Kudzayi.
“Kudzayi was arrested later in the day. By late night, Zimpapers had not yet ascertained the exact details of the charges,” Deketeke said.
Kudzayi is being represented by lawyer Joseph Mandizha. But, Mandizha last night said no charges had been preferred against his client.
However, informed sources said the raids were connected with investigations into unmasking the online figure Baba Jukwa that tormented the ruling Zanu PF party prior to last year’s harmonised polls.
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“Kudzayi has handed himself over to the police and the matter is very sensitive. It’s linked to investigations involving the identity of Baba Jukwa,” the police source said.
The raid on the editors came hard on the heels of President Robert Mugabe’s public censure of Information minister Jonathan Moyo over the appointment of editors with perceived links to the opposition MDC-T to run State-controlled papers.
At Herald House, it is understood that the armed police officers came to the Sunday Mail office around 6am. They had earlier been to Kudzayi’s home where they were told that he had gone to work. The police detectives then came to Herald House where they reportedly told management of the reason for their visit.
At that time Kudzayi’s phone was unreachable and he was not in the office. According to workmates, Kudzayi normally came to work before 8am every day.
The detectives reportedly demanded access to Kudzayi’s office, where they took a Mac Book Pro laptop, IMAQ laptop, Kia cellphone, white charger adapters, a power bank, flash stick and an “MDC-T debate” disc for April 29 2014.
They also confiscated power cables, a computer CPU, monitor, keyboard and mouse.
An inventory of the accessories taken was done by both the police and management.
Alpha Media Holdings (AMH) human capital general manager Edith Kayinga confirmed that police detectives visited the newspaper company earlier asking to interview Muleya, who was not in the office at that moment.
AMH is the holding company of the Zimbabwe Independent. “Three detectives came to our offices asking for Muleya. They also wanted his mobile number and home address. I could not grant that request,” Kayinga said.
Kayinga said the three detectives, who did not produce their identification, would not disclose why they wanted Muleya, saying it was “business”, but declined to see any other editor.
The Zimbabwe Union of Journalists (ZUJ) in a statement yesterday said: “ZUJ is deeply concerned and appalled by the apparently co-ordinated harassment of journalists in Bulawayo and Harare this morning [yesterday] and would like to urge the Zimbabwean authorities to guarantee their safety and protection.”
Meanwhile, suspected burglars reportedly broke into Chronicle editor Mathuthu’s Mahatshula North home in Bulawayo and stole household items including a television set and food despite the presence of a security guard throughout the night.
“It soon became clear that someone had broken in and stolen several items, including a TV set and odd things like meat from the fridge and Mazoe [fruit concentrate] from a cupboard in the kitchen,” Mathuthu said.
“They also uprooted some vegetables outside. My home in Mahatshula North is guarded by a security guard at night, but he said he was reading a newspaper and heard nothing.”
Mathuthu had since given a statement to the police in relation to the burglary.
“Police have been here to investigate and the crime is reported under Reference Number RRB 1946934. I have also given them a statement,” he added.
Police spokesperson Senior Assistant Commissioner Charity Charamba could not be reached for comment as her mobile phone went unanswered until the time of going to print.
