SW Radio Africa (London)
Alex Bell
10 November 2008
The human rights lawyer representing a British journalist who skipped bail and fled Zimbabwe last weekend, is now facing arrest himself - on charges of defeating the course of justice.
Harrison Nkomo was representing Philip Warington Taylor - a journalist who was arrested and charged with 'practicing journalism without accreditation' more than a week ago. He was granted bail during a brief court appearance and was expected back in court last Wednesday for the trial against him to begin. Taylor, who was ordered to surrender his passport, pleaded not guilty, arguing he was merely a visitor during his month long stay in the country.
The journalist was facing a possible two year jail term if found guilty. Under the Access to Information and Privacy Act passed in 2000, it is a criminal offence for local and foreign journalists to practice journalism without accreditation from the state-controlled Media and Information Commission (MIC).
After failing to appear in court throughout the day Taylor's defence lawyer, Harrison Nkomo, told a magistrate in the Harare Magistrates Court on Wednesday that the prosecution could not proceed as he had received reports that Taylor had sneaked out of the country. Nkomo apparently told Harare Magistrate Catherine Chimanda that Taylor had already left the country and was in South Africa.
According to the Media Institute of Southern Africa the police now want to charge Nkomo with defeating the course of justice. It's understood police officers from the Law and Order section visited Nkomo's offices in Harare looking for the him. He was reported to be out of town.
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