State lines up 20 witnesses against Sikhala, Sithole 

Source: State lines up 20 witnesses against Sikhala, Sithole – NewsDay Zimbabwe

BY DESMOND CHINGARANDE
THE State has lined up 20 witnesses to testify against Citizens Coalition for Change (CCC) legislators Job Sikhala (Zengeza West) and Godfrey Sithole (Chitungwiza North) accused of inciting members of the public to commit violence in Nyatsime, Chitungwiza.

Prosecutor Michael Reza told Harare magistrate Felix Mandaza yesterday that Sikhala and Sithole mobilised Nyatsime residents to commit violence during the funeral wake of murdered CCC activist Moreblessing Ali last week.

Several properties were destroyed during the melee.

The duo’s lawyer, Alec Muchadehama argued that the State failed to give justifiable reasons why the MPs were being denied bail, adding that investigating officer Gift Mutamba failed to submit evidence proving that Sikhala and Sithole committed an offence, for instance, that they distributed fliers mobilising people to commit public violence.

“One previous conviction and substantiated by facts cannot be said that Sikhala is likely to commit another offence. The reason of joining the second accused person (Sithole) is also not explained,” Muchadehama submitted.

He said it was also impossible for the two MPs to mobilise people in Nyatsime to perpetrate violence when they were not legislators of that
area.

“They are not village heads that can influence villagers. Only the Seke headman can influence people in that area,” Muchadehama argued.

He further argued that the words uttered by Sikhala while in Nyatsime were not incitement of violence, adding that the legislator was not likely to flee as his passport has been with the clerk of court since 2019.

Muchadehama proposed that his clients be granted $20 000 bail each.

Mandaza postponed the matter to tomorrow for bail ruling.