Lusaka – Zambian authorities must remove resources to retain all charges against Wave FM Zambian journalist Hope Chuma to explain the person responsible for assaulting him and threatening Byta FM reporter Robert Haloba.
On March 7, Chooma attacked control of National Development (UPND) supporters while covering charitable events in the southern town of Mazabuka, and police arrested four suspects in connection with the attack, according to a police statement reviewed by CPJ and Wave FM Zambia.
On March 23, Choma was arrested and was taken into custody overnight on charges of “actual physical assault,” after the suspect in the attack filed another complaint against him, the journalist said. Chuma told CPJ he denied allegations that he would be punished up to five years in prison.
“The series of events suggests that the criminal case against Hope Choma is an attempt to silence journalists who spoke about being attacked while being attacked for their duties as a reporter,” said Mut Kimmo, CPJ Africa Program Coordinator in Nairobi. “The authorities need to stop sacrificing Chuma more and ensure that credible investigations into attacks on journalists by ruling supporters are completed.”
A medical report reviewed by the CPJ noted that Chooma maintains amputation of neck and shoulder pain. The Halobatold cpj assailant said, “(They) are government and therefore they can do anything.
“It’s odd that executives claim they’ve been attacked when the right position is that they’re invaders,” Luckson Hamooya, president of the Mazabuka Press Club, told CPJ.
CPJ previously recorded UPND members and supporters who raided the media house and assaulted journalists.
Calls to CPJ UPND and government spokesman Cornelius Mweetwa and police spokesman Rae Hamoonga have not been answered.
