Job Sikhala Clocks Exactly One Year In Pre-trial Detention
Today, Wednesday 14 June 2023, marks exactly one year since Zimbabwean opposition MP and lawyer, Job Sikhala has been in pre-trial detention.
Sikhala was arrested on 14 June 2022 and charged with incitement to commit public violence.
While in prison, the Zengeza West MP was slapped with another charge, that of obstructing or defeating the course of justice.
In a statement, the Zimbabwe Lawyers for Human Rights (ZLHR) outlined the charges Sikhala is facing, including a third charge, that of disorderly conduct in a public place. Read the statement below:
Today, Zengeza West constituency MP and lawyer Hon. Job Sikhala clocks up one year in jail after he was arrested last year by [Police] officers and charged with committing a litany of offences.
HOT DEALS:
itel A70 - (128GB, 3GB RAM) $89,
itel A70 - (256GB, 4GB RAM) $99
itel P40 (128GB, 4GB), (6000mAh) $99
itel P40 (64GB, 4G), (6000mAh) $93
LATEST:
itel S24 (128GB) $124 (108MP camera)
itel S24 (256GB) $159 (108MP camera)
Cash on Delivery in Harare & Bulawayo. Tinotumira kwamuri inosvika.WhatsApp: 0783 450 793
Hon. Sikhala, who is one of the opposition political party [CCC] party leaders and is currently detained at Chikurubi Maximum Security Prison, is undergoing trial at Harare Magistrates Court on 2 charges of incitement to commit public violence and disorderly conduct.
The Zengeza West legislator was arrested by ZRP officers on 14 June 2022 and charged with incitement to commit public violence as defined in section 187(1)(a) as read with section 36(1)(a) of the Criminal Code.
Prosecutors alleged that Hon. Sikhala recorded and circulated a video urging people to commit acts of public violence in seeking revenge for the death of Moreblessing Ali, who was murdered in the Nyatsime area in Beatrice.
Hon. Sikhala, prosecutors charged, supplied some vehicles which allegedly ferried some CCC party supporters from Chitungwiza and Epworth to Nyatsime, where they reportedly attacked some ruling ZANU PF party supporters and also destroyed property at shops and beer halls and looted groceries and electrical gadgets including burning a one-roomed house belonging to George Murambatsvina, the ZANU PF party Councillor for Nyatsime. His trial continues at Harare Magistrates Court.
While in prison custody, ZRP officers on 12 July 2022 hauled Hon. Sikhala out of Chikurubi Maximum Security Prison and charged him with obstructing or defeating the course of justice as defined in Section 184(1)(e) of the Criminal Code.
In this matter, prosecutors alleged that at an unknown date but during the period extending from 25 May 2022 and 16 June 2022 in Chitungwiza and Nyatsime, the Zengeza West legislator recorded and circulated a video clip wherein he intended to mislead police officers probing the murder of Ali.The law enforcement agents claimed that Hon. Sikhala blamed some ruling ZANU PF party supporters for kidnapping and murdering Ali.
On 3 May 2023, Harare Magistrate Marehwanazvo Gofa convicted Hon. Sikhala for obstructing or defeating the course of justice and sentenced him to pay a fine of US$600, failure of which, he would serve 6 months in prison.
Hon Sikhala’s lawyers Harrison Nkomo and [Jeremiah Bamu] of [ZLHR], have since appealed against both conviction and sentence at the High Court, where they argued that Magistrate Gofa erred and misdirected herself when she handed down the verdict on the opposition political party legislator.
Hon Sikhala and Lovemore Maiko, a member of [CCC], who is also the Councillor for Ward 7 in Chitungwiza Municipality, are also on trial at Harare Magistrates Court answering to charges of disorderly conduct in a public place as defined in section 41 of the Criminal Code.
Hon. Sikhala and Councillor Maiko, who were summoned to appear in court on 20 April 2023, are accused of disrupting a ZANU PF political party campaign rally held on 2 May 2022 by throwing stones at some ruling party supporters.
More: Pindula News
