Zim radio station manager arrested, detained

Father Johnson told the Media Institute of Southern Africa (MISA)-Zimbabwe that he was filming a group of artists performing dances in the high density of Nkulamane when he was approached by two policemen and a civilian.

"The police demanded to know why I was filming the dances, they took my video camera and car keys, demanding that I accompany them to the police station," said Father Johnson.

After his arrest, he was taken to Nkulumane Police station before being transferred to Bulawayo Central Police Station and detained overnight.

Police charged him under the Miscellaneous Offences Act and homicide. Father Johnson told MISA-Zimbabwe that he was not informed why the two charges were preferred on him. He was released on January 3, 2003. The police informed him that they would proceed by way of summons should they decide to take him to court.

On Monday January 5 the police picked up Father Johnson from the Radio Dialogue offices in Bulawayo for further questioning on the activities of the aspiring community radio station.

"Most of the police officers seemed unaware about anything concerning community radio or Radio Dialogue," said Father Johnson.

The video camera was returned on his release.

Background

Radio Dialogue FM is an aspiring community radio station based in Bulawayo. The station is yet to be licensed.

The Supreme Court in 2003 struck down as unconstitutional a section in the Broadcasting Services Act that said that the Minister of Information and Publicity shall be the licensing authority. The government is yet to make amendments to the law to fill the "licensing authority vacuum" created by the Supreme Court ruling.