A Zimbabwe High Court has delayed its decision on freeing journalist Blessed Mhlanga, leaving him locked up longer. Judge Gibson Mandaza needs extra time to review arguments from both sides before making up his mind. Mhlanga works for Alpha Media Holdings and faces charges of sharing messages that allegedly encourage violence. The authorities grabbed him on February 23, and he's spent more than 20 days behind bars already.
The government claims Mhlanga broadcast a news conference featuring Blessed Geza, an outspoken Zanu PF politician and war veteran. Geza became famous nationwide for boldly demanding President Emmerson Mnangagwa step down from office. Police want to arrest Geza, who has disappeared from public view to avoid capture. Attorney Chris Mhike mentioned that despite having a fever, Mhlanga stayed determined to fight his case in court.
Mhike told the judge that lower courts made mistakes when they refused to grant bail. He argued that Mhlanga never attended the controversial news conference and had zero connection to what happened there. The lawyer stressed that his client didn't send out any video because he isn't HSTV, the company that actually created and shared the content. Mhike called the entire case "a lie" built on falsely claiming Mhlanga controls HSTV.
Prosecutor Fungai Nyahunzvi pushed back hard against releasing Mhlanga. He compared the situation to someone forwarding inappropriate pictures - the person might not create the content but still breaks the law by passing it along. "We aren't saying he made the messages. We're saying he transmitted them," Nyahunzvi explained during the hearing. Judge Mandaza ended by promising to alert everyone when his ruling becomes ready.
The government claims Mhlanga broadcast a news conference featuring Blessed Geza, an outspoken Zanu PF politician and war veteran. Geza became famous nationwide for boldly demanding President Emmerson Mnangagwa step down from office. Police want to arrest Geza, who has disappeared from public view to avoid capture. Attorney Chris Mhike mentioned that despite having a fever, Mhlanga stayed determined to fight his case in court.
Mhike told the judge that lower courts made mistakes when they refused to grant bail. He argued that Mhlanga never attended the controversial news conference and had zero connection to what happened there. The lawyer stressed that his client didn't send out any video because he isn't HSTV, the company that actually created and shared the content. Mhike called the entire case "a lie" built on falsely claiming Mhlanga controls HSTV.
Prosecutor Fungai Nyahunzvi pushed back hard against releasing Mhlanga. He compared the situation to someone forwarding inappropriate pictures - the person might not create the content but still breaks the law by passing it along. "We aren't saying he made the messages. We're saying he transmitted them," Nyahunzvi explained during the hearing. Judge Mandaza ended by promising to alert everyone when his ruling becomes ready.
