Reuters’ photographer sentenced in Zimbabwe

HARARE - Howard Nicholas Burditt a photographer with Reuters’ news agency who was convicted on his own guilty plea of contravening Section 27(1) of the Broadcasting Services Act was on 3 June 2008 sentenced to pay a fine of $20 billion. 

Harare Magistrate Archie Wochionga also suspended two other months in prison on condition that Burditt will not contravene the broadcasting Services Act within the next five years. 

His satellite phone was forfeited by the state. Burditt’s lawyer, Charles Kwaramba who was standing in for Alec Muchadehama told the court that the convict was to pay the fine not later than the 6th of June.

Howard Burditt who works for Reuters was arrested in Harare on 5 May 2008 and spent three nights in custody when he was found in possession of a satellite phone and was released on 8 may 2008. 

He later appeared before the court on 28 May and he pleaded guilty to the charge of contravening section 27 (1) of the Broadcasting Services Act (BSA) which outlaws unauthorised possession, establishment and operation of signal transmitting stations.

The Post and Telecommunications Regulatory Authority of Zimbabwe (POTRAZ) had licensed Reuters to cover the Zimbabwean elections, and it was specified in the contract that they were not to use big machines like satellite phones in their broadcasting.