Outspoken former Zengeza West MP and opposition Citizens Coalition for Change (CCC) senior official Job Sikhala has clocked 500 days in pre-trial detention over what his party says is politically motivated persecution.
Sikhala was arrested in June last year for allegedly inciting public violence to avenge the gruesome murder of CCC activist Moreblessing Ali by Zanu PF thugs.
His party believes that he is being persecuted by President Emmerson Mnangagwa’s regime for resisting the totalitarian behavior of the Zanu-PF government.
The fierce ruling party critic, on Thursday, clocked exactly 500 days in jail since his arrest on June 14, 2022. He has not been tried.
CCC urged it’s members to continue to stand in solidarity with Sikhala.
“Let us continue to demand the release of Hon. Job Sikhala, who has been in pre-trial detention for over 500 days. His only “crime” is representing the Ali family in the wake of the horrific murder of their daughter, Moreblessing Ali, by a member of Zanu-PF,” the party said.
In May this year, Sikhala was convicted and fined US$600 for obstruction of justice after he posted on social media a video relating to the murder of Ali. The court ordered him to pay the fine by May 5 or risk serving six months in prison.
Another six months were wholly suspended on the condition that he does not commit a similar crime in the next five years.
Sikhala is appealing against both conviction and sentence on a charge of obstructing the course of justice.
Justice Pisirayi Kwenda and Justice Benjamin Chikowero were expected to hear his appeal, but his lawyers made an interlocutory application for the recusal of Justice Chikowero claiming his evident bias against their client.
The matter will be heard next month.
