Zimbabwean arrested for sending fax

A Zimbabwean man has been arrested for sending a fax to a friend in Britain that chronicled violence during local elections.

Martin Mukaro, 35, appeared in a Harare court accused of breaching the state’s Public Order and Security Act.

He was arrested in a Harare public phone shop as he attempted to fax a personal letter and a newspaper cutting of violence in the run-up to last month’s elections.

The prosecution said Mukaro was standing next to a fax machine when a man who had been peeping at his personal documents, alerted the police about contents of the documents.

Mukaro was sending the letter to Felix Mazava, a Zimbabwean living in London.

He allegedly wrote in his letter that supporters of President Robert Mugabe perpetrated violence to force a win in a mayoral election.

Defence lawyer Shepherd Mushonga argued there was nothing unusual in what Mukaro did because the newspaper, which published the story Mukaro wanted to send to Britain, was a public document that was also available on the internet.

Makaro was remanded on bail until October 6.