A Gweru-based journalist who was at the Gweru Magistrates Court on Thursday to answer charges of disorderly conduct will now appear in court by way of summons.
The Mirror Midlands bureau chief and Assistant Editor, Elizabeth Mashiri was arrested on Tuesday by police despite producing her Zimbabwe Media Commission (ZMC) press card.
The arrest also happens when the Ministry of Information, Publicity and Broadcasting Services together with Tag a Life International (TaLI), in partnership with Fojo Media Institute, Identities Media TV launched the My Freedom of Information campaign launched in Zimbabwe in July 2021 to raise awareness on the Freedom of Information Act for vulnerable groups and journalists.
The prosecutor on duty said that because of the prevailing COVID-19 situation and the partial closure of courts, her case will be heard by way of summons.
Mashiri was arrested for allegedly taking pictures and videos of police in running battles with vendors. The vendors accused police officers of demanding bribes daily.
The vendors openly told the cops that they were tired of paying bribes and those arrested exchanged harsh words with the police officers right into the charge office.
At the police station, the Member in Charge Crime Assistant Inspector Chinounye wanted Mashiri to either pay a fine or spent the night in a filthy cell.
Mashiri was adamant that she would not pay the fine because she was at the scene of the skirmishes as a registered and accredited journalist.
She also told Constable Locadia Mutundwa who arrested her that she had a constitutional right as a journalist to cover the story of the vendors and the alleged bribe-taking cops.
Mashiri was released late in the afternoon after her lawyer intervened and told the Member in Charge Crime that the case was too trivial for someone to be detained overnight.
She is being represented by Reginald Chidawanyika of Chetere Chidawanyika and Partners.