Nyarota has been arrested five times in three years

The paper's lead story said that a 53-year-old woman had been beheaded in the northern town of Magunje in front of her two daughters, citing a report by the woman's husband.

The report blamed supporters of President Mugabe's Zanu-PF.

But last Saturday the Daily News said it had doubts about the alleged murder, after failing to locate the woman's grave.

The editor, Geoff Nyarota, said it appeared the newspaper had been misled by the husband. "Until... Tadyanemhandu's grave is located and positively identified, we are left with no option but to... tender our most profound apologies to Zanu-PF, whose image was tarnished by the report in question," Mr Nyarota said.

Jail threat

Mr Nyarota's arrest earlier this month was connected with a story accusing the man in charge of announcing election results, Registrar General Tobaiwa Mudede, of manipulating the count.

Mr Mudede denies the accusation.

Mugabe signed a new media law in March

Mr Nyarota, for his part, contests the charge. He faces a maximum sentence of two years in prison or a fine of $1,800 if found guilty of falsifying and fabricating information.

Mr Nyarota has been arrested several times since the Daily News was launched in 1999.

The paper's printing press and main office were both bombed last year.

Under the media law Mr Mugabe signed shortly after his re-election, the activities of independent and foreign news media are curbed, and criticism of the president is a criminal act.