Minister says Sikhala author of own misery
TICHAONA KATSVAMUTIMA
JUSTICE, Legal and Parliamentary Affairs minister Ziyambi Ziyambi (pictured) said incarcerated Citizens Coalition for Change (CCC) legislator Job Sikhala is the author of his own legal woes for failing to abide by previous bail conditions.
The firebrand opposition lawmaker has spent over 150 days in remand prison and is facing charges of inciting public violence at the funeral of slain CCC activist Moreblessing Ali in May this year.
He was arrested together with fellow legislator Godfrey Sithole and 14 other party activists who have since been granted bail.
Ali’s decomposed body was found buried in a shallow well at the home of the key suspect Pius Jamba’s mother in Beatrice.
Jamba has since been arrested and admitted to killing Ali.
Ali is yet to be buried.
Ziyambi told Business Times the executive has no hand in his continued incarceration contrary to claims by Sikhala through his lawyers and CCC supporters.
“The issue of Job Sikhala is not political,” Ziyambi said. “The Executive is not interfering whatsoever. The only thing that is happening is Job Sikhala has been playing to the gallery and not following the court processes.”
“Firstly, he was on remand and strictly given conditions he violated and if you violate bail conditions, you are not given bail. Secondly, he goes about collecting signatures and using a petition as change of circumstances. Courts are not supposed to be swayed by public opinion.
“He is one person who cannot point a finger at the Executive and he is the author of his own situation,” Ziyambi said.
The former MDC-99 leader has been arrested over 70 times and most cases have been politically-motivated.
There have been local and international outcry over his continued incarceration with the government being accused of interfering with his freedom bid.
He has tried applying for bail for over 10 times in this case but to no avail with his lawyers and political colleagues claiming interference by the Executive that perceive the CCC lawmaker as a threat ahead of the 2023 elections.
The CCC has also claimed arbitrary arrests of its activists adding this was a ploy by the ruling Zanu PF party to subdue the opposition outfit.
