Hon. Sikhala, who is one of the opposition political party Citizens
Coalition for Change (CCC) party leaders and is currently detained at
Chikurubi Maximum Security Prison, is undergoing trial at Harare
Magistrates Court on two 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 Law
(Codification and Reform) Act.
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 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 Tuesday 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 Law (Codification and Reform) Act.
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 six months in prison.
Hon Sikhala’s lawyers Harrison Nkomo and Jeremiah Bamu of Zimbabwe
Lawyers for Human Rights, 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 political party, 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 Law (Codification and Reform) Act.
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.