By Tendai Chisiri
A police officer suggested that Tendai Chisiri’s freelance status made him more vulnerable to harassment, noting that mainstream media journalists might have been treated differently.
“I understand they victimised him because he is a freelance journalist, if he was in the mainstream media they would not have harassed him like that”, murmured a police officer at the Harare Central Police Station after hearing the ordeal Tendai Chisiri a freelance journalist and blogger went through.
“Why is it that only freelance journalists get arrested unlike their counterparts in the newsrooms? “, interjected another police officer in the room Chisiri’s statement was being recorded and him cautioned.
Tendai Chisiri rued the day he thought of becoming a journalist after spending two days and nights at Harare Central Police Station detained for criminal trespassing at Crowne Plaza Monomotapa hotel only to be relieved after justice played its course at Harare Magistrates Court.
In the police report, it is stated that the complainant Ozias Matinetsa a loss control manager at Monomotapa hotel reported a case of criminal trespassing to the police. He alleges that Tendai Chisiri intruded the room where ministers were having a meeting thus trespassing.
In his defense, Chisiri vehemently denied the charges saying he had confirmed for an event happening at night, however his mobile phone broke down before he got the reply of the confirmation so he went to check the list in person. The only room he entered is the accreditation room where he was told to come back and check when the event starts. When leaving the hotel, that is when he was manhandled by the security gaurd who told him he was wanted inside.
Upon being told of the charges, Chisiri asked the hotel staff to check on the CCTV for his movements in the hotel. The hotel staff fearing the Office of the President staff handed him to the police without enough evidence.
Desire Dobie a lawyer with a non governmental organisation for human rights went to the police station Friday morning as the accused’s defense counsel. She asked about the whereabouts of the complainant and the investigation officer called him over the phone. Matinetsa then said there was no evidence to show that Chisiri entered the room with ministers but they were ordered by the Office of the President staff to have him arrested.
At the set down of the hearing at the magistrates court on Saturday, the complainant did not come leaving the public prosecutor without an option but to set Chisiri free till the complainant comes with the evidence to the charges.
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