District Director of Agriculture in Báruè, Manica in Mozaqmbique moves a criminal process against a Journalist and peasant farmers

30 de AGOSTO 2010

Muzaja Zacharias, District Director of Economic Services and Agricultural Activities in Báruè, is moving a criminal process against the journalist John Chekwa of Community Radio Catandica (RCC 101.2 Mhz) and members of the Union of Farmers (UDACB) in Manica province of Mozambique for alleged defamation and insult. Zacarias Muzaja, decided to sue John Chekwa , station manager of a local community radio and the group of peasants farmers of that district after having been released in the news of the same local radio, news edition of the 4th of August 2010, that the goods of the peasants union of Báruè, incluiding a truck had been sold illegally to him by the former Director of UDACB, farmer’s Union, Armando Julio Sarmento. The station Manager of Catandica Community Radio, John Chekwa, says he was surprised with notification of the Criminal Investigation Police (PIC) of Báruè to testify on the 24th of August 2010 about this news. John Chekwa told the PIC that the director Muzaja is threatening, intimidating and violating the Mozambican Press Act, also known as Law No. 18/91. Chekwa added to the PIC that the role of the media organization is to collect, gather and broadcast information of public interest for the benefit of the community. In turn, Abilio Tungadza member of the union affected also called by the PIC said that these are threats to the farmers and to the radio being done by this director of SDAE. Tungadza added that it is the farmers who should prosecute Zacarias Muzaja because he bought the robed car of the farmers. Here is the news that caused problemsEdition of RCC 101.2 Mhz of the 4th of August 2010 The Director of UDACB, Union of peasant famers in Barue district , Armando Julio Sarmento, had illegally sold the organization's car, Toyota Hilux with registration number MAA 11-65 to the District Director of Economic Services and agricultural Activity in Báruè, Zacarias Muzaja in order to pay off personal debts. Besides this, Armando Julio Sarmento is on charges of illegally selling a Suzuki motorcycle of the same association to a local school teacher, as revealed to the former president of UDACB Jone Catique. Completion: Recording Catique
The current president of this union Bernardo Candido Dinheiro said to the radio that Armando Julio Sarmento was hired by UDACB as Chief Executive and Accounting Officer and his employment contract expired on the 30th January 2009, but he continued to work by force for 18 months, claiming to search for donor partners. Completion: Recording Bernardo In turn, the District director of Economic Services and Agricultural Activity (SDAE), Zacarias Muzaja, denies this charge of buying the car in question and said he did not buy but it is a partnership between UDACB and SDAE. Muzaja added that SDAE has shortage of transport and they askesd UDACB in the person of Armando Julio Sarmento to help them. Completion: Recording Muzaja In an interview with the community radio last week, the former director of UDACB, Armando Julio Sarmento confirmed that he left the car to Zacarias Muzaja as a citizen and not as government institution in order to settle debts incurred by him because UDACB has not yet paid his 18 months salary. In the same interview, Sarmento confirmed that he sold the union’s motor bike to the local teacher because he was suffering without pay for a long time.
In a brief telephone contact by the community radio with the teacher involved of the local school he said that he was not in a position to respond on the case but promised to commend later to the radio about this issue. Completion: RecordingHowever in the interview, Zacarias Muzaja, District Director of SDAE, promises to return the truck to the peasants farmers even in the absence of Armando Julio Sarmento. Completion: Recording MuzajaContacted the District Administrator, Joaquim Zefanias said in our report that he received information from the former director Armando Sarmento that the car in question is not sold but is at SDAE as a safe place, because when he left the uniao there was nobody to leave with this truck. Joaquim Zefanias promised to resolve this case and to return the assets to the farmers union. Completion: recording administrator
FONT: RCC /CAICC