Zim Police Search Radio Dialogue For Xmission Equipment, Find Nothing

Bulawayo, April 23, 2014-On Tuesday police in Bulawayo searched the Radio Dialogue offices, for what they claimed was broadcasting material for transmitting information which can jeopardise state’s interests.

Radio Dialogue production manager, Zenzele Ndebele, said about 10 police and CIO officers came to the community radio station’s offices around mid-day and searched for the equipment, which they did not find.

Ndebele said when the police came he was away but he received a phone call that he should report at Hillside police station. Upon arrival he was shown a search warrant which said the police had the information that he had ‘radio transmission equipment.’

Ndebele said the police, who were in the company of officials from the Postal and Telecommunications Regulatory Authority (Potraz), then told him to take them to his house where they searched and again found nothing.

Last month Ndebele was acquitted on charges of contravening broadcasting laws. The charges arose after Ndebele was.The radios in question were ordinary receivers with no transmitting capacity. Ndebele said he had no clue whether the latest development was related to the resolved case.

Radio Dialogue is a member of the Zimbabwe Association of Community Radio Stations (ZACRAS) which is pushing for the opening of the airwaves to more players.

ChannelZim