FILMMAKER Tendai Maduwa was yesterday charged with
contravening provisions of the Censorship and Entertainment Control Act after the
premiere of his production, Lord of Kush, at Theatre in the Park without the
greenlight from the Censorship Board.
Maduwa, who also directed and produced the film, was
arrested alongside co-writer Kudakwashe Bwititi and Theatre in the Park
managers Daves Guzha and Peter Churu.
The quartet’s lawyer Tinomuda Shoko yesterday confirmed the
arrests. “They have been asked to come back tomorrow (today) at Law and Order
(Section). We don’t know (yet) if they will take them to court or summon them
for court. They just said they should come to Law and Order tomorrow (today),”
she said.
Maduwa was arrested on Saturday night and detained from
7:30pm until 1:30am the following morning after the premiere. After release, He
was instructed to return to Harare Central Police station later.
When he returned on Sunday, the police pressed charges.
Maduwa said he did not take the film to the Censorship Board because the board
was dissolved.
Lord of Kush is centred on the 2014 killings of at least
141 people, including 132 children, by Taliban gunmen at the military run,
Peshawar School in Pakistan.
“We are sad because our creativity is muzzled. This should
never be allowed to happen. As a venue it affects our business. It makes it an
unsafe space,” Guzha said.
“We remain bemused with this provocative and uncalled for
assault on our freedom of expression and thought as well as on cultural and
creative bona fide individuals and institutions which are trying to do their
bit in giving hope in sustaining an already stressed sector.” Newsday
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