Mtisi Gift, of Zimbabwe’s human rights lawyers, said he was accused of “trafficking in counterfeits”, adding that he was waiting for the full list of charges.
“He is still detailed and is likely to appear in court on Saturday after spending the night in police custody,” Gift told CNN.
Earlier on Friday, Chin’ono posted on his Twitter account that police had arrested him at home and wrote that he was accused of “reporting fakes.”
Chin’ono was released on bail in September 2020, after more than a month in prison, several court appearances in which he was accused of inciting violence in July before a planned anti-government protest – an indictment denies his lawyers.
As part of his strict bail conditions, Chin’ono was banned from social media and not allowed to leave the capital Harare.
The second arrest took place in November of the same year, where he was arrested for obstructing justice, as well as for degrading the country’s National Prosecutor’s Office.
The journalist investigated corruption allegations last year over the purchase of Covid-19 goods by the health ministry, according to Amnesty International, which accused the Zimbabwe government of using state security forces to silence criticism.
Doctors in Zimbabwe routinely complain about inadequate protective equipment in their fight against Covid-19 as cases increase and the country struggles with a new wave of infections.
After the Christmas holidays, Zimbabwe saw an increase in Covid-19 infections and deaths, raising fears of an already fragile health system.
The government has asked citizens to adhere to the blockade, which includes traffic restrictions on all but the most essential services.
The reopening of schools has been postponed indefinitely, following a Covid-19 outbreak in schools in the last term, while the shops will be open only until 15:00 daily.
A sunset setting is also provided to avoid meetings and nightly events.