Job Sikhala is set to appear in court on Thursday on an alleged disorderly conduct charge, bringing to four the cases he is facing after being denied bail on the other three.
The Zengeza West MP has remained on pre-trial detention for the past 10 months after his arrest in June last year.
Sikhala was arrested for allegedly inciting public violence and disturbing police investigations following the murder of Moreblessing Ali of Nyatsime in 2022.
His allies, who call themselves Friends of the Job Sikhala Trust, told NewsDay on Monday that the new charge of disorderly conduct is a deliberate attempt to keep Sikhala in prison until after the forthcoming elections.
The spokesperson of Friends of the Job Sikhala Trust Emmanuel Zellers Gumbo said:
The trust notes with deep sadness the perpetual persecution of Mr. Sikhala. But the regime has made it clearer that this is nothing but a political battle as compared to legal which now calls for political action, we now need to speak with the voice of the oppressed.
Regrettably, this is a well-calculated, deliberate effort to lock Job Sikhala behind bars beyond the forthcoming elections.
CCC insists Sikhala is a political prisoner and is facing trumped-up charges.
In September 2022, constitutional law expert Lovemore Madhuku suggested that political dialogue between CCC and ZANU PF will facilitate Sikhala’s release.
He said CCC’s refusal to talk with ZANU PF was behind Sikhala’s continued incarceration.
In other news – 16-year-old boy bashes neighbour to death in fight over marbles
A 16-YEAR-OLD boy from Cowdray Park, Garikai, in Bulawayo allegedly killed a 15-year-old neighbour in a fight over marbles.
According to witnesses, on 1 April, the two teenagers got into an argument after one of them lost a game.Learn More
