Harare – Award-winning Zimbabwean journalist Hopewell Chin’ono was on Monday denied bail for the third time since his arrest last months on charges of inciting violence.
49-year-old Chin’ono has been charged for his role in promoting opposition organised protests against corruption and the country’s ailing economy. He has also helped expose a multi-million-dollar corruption scandal involving the procurement of coronavirus supplies.
Chin’ono was arrested at his house in Harare on 20 July, and two previous bail applications were thrown out.
On Monday, magistrate Ngoni Nduna rejected Chin’ono’s third bail attempt, saying the journalist, a government critic, had sought the downfall of the ruling party Zanu-PF.
“It will be wrong to say (the) 31 July (protest) was a non-event… there is a high likelihood that there will be nationwide demonstrations if the applicant is released,” said Nduna.
No trial date has been set yet, but Chin’ono was ordered back in court on 1 September for a routine remand court appearance.
