12 Facts About Basildon Peta

Basildon Peta currently writes editorials and is the owner of a newspaper publishing company in Maseru, Lesotho.

Basildon Peta was the Secretary General of the Zimbabwe Union of Journalists and had contact with the government in its attempt to draft a new constitution, but the results were not favourable and the ZUJ planned to challenge them.

Ahead elections in Zimbabwe in the next year, Basildon Peta was one of seven journalists on a hit list by Mugabe's Central Intelligence Organization.

Basildon Peta said he received a threat in the form of a manila envelope full of bullets.

Basildon Peta published an article in The Independent afterwards in which he remained defiant and wrote that he will continue "to tell the truth".

Basildon Peta was detained again in February 2002 under Zimbabwe's newly enacted Public Order and Security Act for 15 hours.

Basildon Peta was the first journalist arrested after the strict law had been passed.

Basildon Peta left the Zimbabwe for South Africa shortly after his detention amid allegations that he had lied about his detention.

From exile, Basildon Peta said he and his family had suffered for two years.

Basildon Peta is currently the CEO of Africa Media Holdings, which is the publishing company behind the Lesotho Times.

When Basildon Peta worked for Modus Publications and wrote for Financial Gazette, Christopher Mushowe, principal director in Robert Mugabe's office, attempted to sue him for implicating him in corruption.

The article that Basildon Peta wrote was about whether Mushowe deserved a passing grade from the University of Zimbabwe.