31 March 2007
Edward Chikomba
Beating
Edward Chikomba's badly beaten body was found at the weekend in bushes next to a road some 50km west of Harare.
Correspondents say the reason for his killing is not yet clear, but there are concerns it is linked to the smuggling of news footage out of Zimbabwe. Mr Chikomba was a freelance cameraman who had worked at the state-run Zimbabwe Broadcasting Corporation (ZBC). Eyewitnesses say Mr Chikomba was seized from his home by armed men last Thursday. The newzimbabwe.com says he had links with the opposition Movement for Democratic Change (MDC).
Correspondents say the police informed his family that a body had been found, but have not commented further. "It's not clear whether the murder was a message to the media or a political killing," a former colleague told the UK's Independent newspaper. The paper says ZBC staff have been sacked or harassed in the past under suspicion of selling pictures to foreign broadcasters. Television pictures showing beaten up MDC leader Morgan Tsvangirai were broadcast around the world in March.
