DURBAN - Harvard University-educated Zimbabwean freelance journalist, Hopewell Chin’ono was granted bail on Wednesday, after he was arrested and incarcerated in July for allegedly inciting public violence.
On Wednesday, Zimbabwean advocate and member of the Movement for Democratic Change (MDC) Alliance, Fadzayi Mahere, confirmed Chin’ono’s release on Twitter.
“Hopewell Chin'ono has been granted bail. #ZimbabweanLivesMatter,” tweeted Mahere.
According to a Twitter post from the Zimbabwe Human Rights Forum, “High Court judge, Justice Terrence Chitapi has granted RTGS 10 000 bail to Journalist, Hopewell Chin'ono”.
Both Chin’ono and Transform Zimbabwe political leader Jacob Ngarivhume were arrested on July 20 and held at Chikurubi Maximum Security Prison, which is meant for extremely violent criminals, while awaiting court appearances.
They were both denied bail three times.
Ngarivhume was released on ZWL 50,000 bail earlier in the day and, according to the Zimbabwe Human Rights Forum, “has been requested to surrender his passport, not to use his tweeter handle and to report to police 3 times every week”.
Chin’ono was instrumental in using his Twitter account to call out corrupt officials within the Zimbabwean government, which led to accusations that his arrest, and that of Ngarivhume, was politically motivated.
Chin’ono’s exposing corrupt politicians eventually led to the arrest and dismissal of the minister of health and childcare, Dr Obediah Moyo.
On July 7, the chief secretary to the president and cabinet, Dr Misheck Sibanda confirmed Moyo’s dismissal.
“Please be advised that his Excellency President E.D. Mnangagwa has removed Dr Obediah Moyo from the office of Cabinet Minister with immediate effect… for conduct inappropriate for a government Minister,” said Sibanda.
Moyo was allegedly involved in a Covid-19 procurement scandal to the tune of US$60-million, which also involved Mnangagwa’s sons Collins and Sean.
Moyo is currently out on bail of ZW$50,000.