Sikhala's Bid for Discharge Denied, to Face Trial

Harare magistrate Vongai Guriro Muchuchuti has dismissed an application for discharge by incarcerated Citizens Coalition for Change (CCC) activist Job Sikhala, indicating that he has a case to answer. Sikhala, represented by Harrison Nkomo and Jeremiah Bhamu, faced charges of inciting public violence by participating in a protest march aimed at expressing concerns about alleged mismanagement by President Emmerson Mnangagwa's government.

In her ruling, Guriro Muchuchuti stated that a video clip showed Sikhala present during the alleged public incitement. She emphasized that the court had assessed all evidence from witnesses and found it illogical to argue that Sikhala's utterances in the video had no intention to incite public violence. The magistrate also ruled that there was no basis to claim that Sikhala was not in the video or that the voice was not his.

The police had also pressed an alternative charge against Sikhala for inciting public violence, as it was alleged that Sikhala incited people to participate in demonstrations causing public violence and a breach of peace by posting video clips with messages inciting violence. Also, he was accused of summoning Zimbabweans outside the country to participate in a demonstration scheduled for July 31, 2020.