Mtisi Gift, from the Zimbabwe Ministry of Human Rights, said he was being accused of “selling falsehoods”, adding that he was awaiting the full list of charges.
“He is still being posted and is due to appear in court on Saturday after spending the night in police custody,” Gift told CNN.
On Friday, Chin’ono posted on his Twitter account that the police arrested him at home and wrote that he was being accused of “reporting falsehoods”.
Chin’ono received bail in September 2020, after more than a month in prison, several appearances in court where he was accused of inciting violence in July, before a planned anti-government protest – a charge his lawyers deny.
As part of his strict bail conditions, Chin’ono was banned from social media and was not allowed to leave the capital Harare.
The second detention took place in November of the same year, where he was arrested for obstructing justice, in addition to demoting the country’s prosecutors.
The journalist last year investigated allegations of corruption related to the procurement of Covid-19 supplies by the health ministry, according to Amnesty International, which accused the Zimbabwean government of using state security forces to silence critics.
Doctors in Zimbabwe routinely complain about inadequate protective equipment in their fight against Covid-19, as cases increase and the country faces a new wave of infections.
After the Christmas holidays, Zimbabwe registered an increase in infections and deaths from Covid-19, increasing fears about an already fragile health system.
The government urged citizens to adhere to the blockade, which includes movement restrictions for all but the most essential services.
The reopening of schools has been postponed indefinitely, following an outbreak of Covid-19 in schools last semester, while stores will only be open until 3 pm daily.
A curfew from dusk to dawn is also in place to avoid meetings and evening events.