VOP coordinator John Masuku said that his secretary phoned him at around 8:00 a.m., as he was preparing to go to work. Masuku told MISA-Zimbabwe that there was nothing suspicious when station employees left the office on 28 August, and that no one had threatened them. Masuku added that he was in the process of contacting the station's lawyer and was not in a position to give further comments.
The radio station, which had not yet been licenced, was not broadcasting in Zimbabwe, but instead was recording its programmes, which were being broadcast on short-wave from outside Zimbabwe.
Background Information
The bombing of VOP radio station comes against a background of an acrimonious relationship between the authorities and the station. The government had accused VOP of "tarnishing the country's image" through its reporting. Police raided the radio station on 4 July. Accompanied by officers from the Broadcasting Authority of Zimbabwe (BAZ) and armed with a search warrant, they raided the station in search of a transmitter and other broadcasting equipment.
The radio station, which had not yet been licenced, was not broadcasting in Zimbabwe, but instead was recording its programmes, which were being broadcast on short-wave from outside Zimbabwe.
Background Information
The bombing of VOP radio station comes against a background of an acrimonious relationship between the authorities and the station. The government had accused VOP of "tarnishing the country's image" through its reporting. Police raided the radio station on 4 July. Accompanied by officers from the Broadcasting Authority of Zimbabwe (BAZ) and armed with a search warrant, they raided the station in search of a transmitter and other broadcasting equipment.