FULL TEXT: "Lockdown-Defying" Journalist Remanded Out Of Custody On Bail To 7 May 2020

Misa Zimbabwe has reported that Nunurai Jena a freelance journalist who was this week arrested for defying national lockdown regulations has been remanded out custody to 7 May.

We present Misa Zimbabwe’s statement in full below.

Zimbabwean journalist Nunurai Jena was on 3 April 2020 remanded out of custody on free bail to 7 May 2020 when he appeared in court in Chinhoyi charged with disorderly conduct in a public place.

Jena is accused of breaching Section 41 of the Criminal Law (Codification and Reform) Act which deals with disorderly conduct in a public place, which is the main charge.

His lawyer Kudzai Choga confirmed to MISA Zimbabwe that the journalist who was not in custody following his arrest on 2 April 2020, had been remanded out of custody on free bail.

Buy Samsung, itel, Redmi smartphones in Zimbabwe

WhatsApp: +263715068543

He also faces the alternative charge of contravening Section 11 (a) (b) of the Public Health (COVID-19), Prevention, Containment and Treatment (National Lockdown Order, 2020.

Background

Jena was supposed to appear in court following his arrest on 2 April 2020 but failed to make it before the courts closed at 3:00 pm on the same day. He was then released with summons to appear in court on 3 April 2020.