Journalist Hopewell Chin’ono says he is starving in prison as he is not being allowed to get warm food from outside.
He told his media colleagues on Wednesday when he made a court appearance that he was hungry and in need of food.
Chin’ono is languishing in prison after he was arrested at his home last month and charged with ‘inciting violence ahead of the 31 July demonstrations.
He denied the charges.
His lawyers told the court that the award winning journalist is now surviving by biscuits and water as prison wardens are refusing to allow his relatives and friends to bring him food despite the court granting an order to allow him to have access to food, private medical care and his lawyers.
The journalist, who now looks thinner that he was a month ago, told his media colleagues as he was leaving the court for the prison trucks that he was in great spirits but hungry.
“Well I’m okay but hungry. The prison is not complying with a court order which allows me to eat. No food is being brought to me,” he told the media.
Asked if he is surviving on biscuits and water, he replied, “Well yah.”
Chin’ono has special health conditions that requires him to adhere to a strict diet and cannot eat prison food, his lawyers told the court as they sought to have him to access warm food.
Today marks exactly one month since Chin’ono was arrested at his house in Chisipite surburb.
He suffered a huge blow as the state barred his chosen lawyer Beatrice Mtetwa from representing him.
He has not chosen to be represented by Advocate Taona Nyamakura who is under instruction from his lawyers Gift Mtisi, Roselyn Hanzi and Douglas Coltart.
Hopewell Chin’ono hopes his starving situation will end this Friday as when he appears in court for bail hearing. He is jailed at Chikurubi Maximum prison where he is being kept under leg irons with convicted criminals
Read More: Police camp outside Hopewell Chin’ono’s lawyer Beatrice Mtetwa’s office
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