Mugabe's spokesman in threat to Zimbabwe news websites

Mugabe's spokesman in threat to Zimbabwe news websites

GOCHE

• Goche, Chombo caught in spy ring

• Zimbabwe tails 2 ministers in spy probe

• Chiyangwa has case to answer - magistrate

• Court to decide on Chiyangwa remand

• Chiyangwa tortured, suffered stroke - lawyer

• Chiyangwa appears in court on espionage charge

• Chiyangwa alive, to appear in court - report

• Fears for Chiyangwa as he fails to appear in court

• Chiyangwa said dead, family says he is 'fine'

• Mugabe's nephew held for espionage in Zim

• Chiyangwa held by secret service

• Chiyangwa acquitted

• Chiyangwa seeks discharge as trial ends

• Inside Chiyangwa's mansion

• Detective trailed by 'hitmen' after Chiyangwa threat

• Controvercy as Chiyangwa trial opens

• Muponda: 'My arrest was political'

• 18 cars recovered from Chiyangwa

• Chiyangwa threatens journalist with death

• Chiyangwa facing more charges?

• Chiyangwa arrested

• Msika warns Chiyangwa

• Chiyangwa threatens cop in court

• Chiyangwa implicated in ENG scandal

• Zanu PF bids to oust Msika

• ENG directors charged with fraud

By Staff Reporter

THE Zimbabwe government has launched a desperate attempt to bully foreign journalists and news websites hosted from abroad from reporting on the on-going Spy-gate Scandal which has sucked in top officials including President Robert Mugabe's nephew.

And in an apparent bid to divert journalists from closely probing government officials, the State-controlled Herald newspaper ran a curious story on Friday claiming three opposition Movement for Democratic Change MPs were also under investigation for spying for foreign governmentrs -- although the opposition has no access to official State secrets.

In a statement, President Mugabe's spokesman George Charamba said journalists should stick "strictly to court proceedings as briefed to them by those in the know or handling the case", claiming there were national security concerns.

"The recent spate of speculative pieces on the matter, some of them quite incriminating and defamatory to individuals who include Government ministers, was needless and certainly contrary to the requirements of the law and good journalism," Charamba railed.

"Government notes, with concern, falsehoods on the case, some of which have been posted on websites associated with the opposition. This is a grave matter which can attract serious consequences, including legal ones," he said.

With the State-media firmly under its grip, the Zimbabwe government has desperately failed to stem the leaks and flow of information to news websites like New Zimbabwe.com which operates from Wales and others dotted across the globe.

On Tuesday this week, New Zimbabwe.com dropped a bombshell with the sensational story revealing that two ministers linked to the spying scandal were National Security Minister Nicholas Goche and Local Government Minister Ignatius Chombo.

President Mugabe's nephew and Chinhoyi legislator Phillip Chiyangwa, Zimbabwe’s Ambassador-designate to Mozambique Godfrey Dzvairo, Zanu-PF director of external affairs Itai Marchi, the party’s deputy security chief Kenny Karidza and former banker Tendai Matambanadzo have appeared in court charged with breaching the Official Secrets Act.

They are accused of selling State secrets to unnamed foreign governments.
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