Franklin Sibindi, a journalist with the Centre for Innovation and Technology (CITE ZW) was detained by the police in Bulawayo today, July 31, 2020, for allegedly using an expired accreditation card.
Sibindi was taken to Tshabalala Police Station where he was detained for about three hours without any charges being laid against him.
MISA-Zimbabwe deployed lawyer Nqobani Sithole who attended to the matter and secured his release.
While the Zimbabwe Media Commission (ZMC) has commenced accreditation of journalists, the process has been slow for reporters outside the capital Harare. Due to this slow process, many journalists continue to use 2019 accreditation cards.
Recently, the ZMC reiterated that the 2019 accreditation cards were still valid.