Sign of Good Will? Maguwu Out on Bail 2 Days Before WDC Congress

Farai Maguwu, the Zimbabwean researcher that was arrested five weeks for allegedly publishing false reports about the country, was released on bail of $1,500 on Monday. Maguwu’s release was a main demand by NGOs during the heated debate over Zimbabwe’s diamond exports at the Kimberley Process conference in Israel last month.

Maguwu’s release comes just two days before the World Diamond Council (WDC) is to meet in St. Petersburg, Russia and hold a mini KP convention in an attempt to reach a resolution for the export of diamonds from Marange.

Maguwu, director of Center for Research and Development, is accused of publishing and communicating falsehoods injurious to state interests.

He was arrested shortly after meeting with KP Monitor to Zimbabwe Abbey Chikane and presenting him with a document about police activities in the Marange area, apparently in violation of KP.

Maguwu turned himself into police custody after his house and office were raided by the police and his brother arrested. Authorities first claimed he stole the document, a claim also raised in Chikane’s report.

The case put NGOs at odds not only with Zimbabwe’s leadership, but also with the Monitor, saying his report about the Marange diamond fields did not accurately reflect the situation on the ground.

While Chikane reported that Zimbabwe met the minimum KP standards, NGOs said the military is still present in the fields, contrary to a withdrawal demand.

High Court Judge Mawadze Garainesu said that the prosecution had failed to give good reason on why Maguwu should be denied bail, according to a VOA report. “In my view the charges are very simple, clear and straightforward," Garainesu said in his ruling.

"They involve publication of falsehoods prejudicial to state. The presumption of innocence operates in favor of the appellant, in other words grounds for refusal of bail should be substantiated."