Zimbabwe’s courts acquit journalist Faith Zaba, the editor of the Zimbabwe Independent, after a year-long legal process following her arrest in July 2025. The arrest follows the publication of a satirical column in the newspaper’s muckraker section titled “When You Become a Mafia State.” Prosecutors had accused Zaba of hostility toward the president, an allegation connected to the content of the column. The two reports describe that she stands trial for about a year and is ultimately found not guilty and released. No additional details about the court’s reasoning, the specific charges’ legal basis, or whether the state announces any next steps are provided in the articles cited. Both outlets also identify Zaba and her role at the Zimbabwe Independent, and both refer to the same satirical piece as the trigger for her arrest. The reports therefore align on the central timeline: the July 2025 arrest, the subsequent year-long trial, and the court’s acquittal.