Sikhala To Spend Another Weekend In Prison

Patience Nhamburo

MDC vice chairperson, Job Sikhala will spend the weekend behind bars, after his bail appeal hearing at the high court failed to kick off this morning.

This will be the fourth weekend Sikhala is spending in remand prison after he was arrested on charges of inciting public violence. His lawyer Harrison Nkomo told ZTN that Sikhala’s appeal will now be heard on Monday, 14 September.

The state represented by prosecutor Austin Muzivi told the court that they received Sikhala’s magistrates court record yesterday (Thursday), afternoon and managed to craft a response on Friday morning.

They however handed over their response to Sikhala’s lawyer Harrison Nkomo, who told the court that by lunchtime he would submit their comprehensive heads of argument in response.

Both the state and defence counsels agreed to postpone the matter to Monday to allow Justice Erica Ndewere enough time to go over the 200 page court record.

Justice Ndewere agreed.

Nkomo said his client had fallen sick while in custody and efforts are being made to have him observed by a private doctor.

“We are making frantic efforts for him to be attended to by his personal doctor as he has developed swelling feet at Chikurubi prison”, said Nkomo.

Prison authorities could not immediately confirm Sikhala’s alleged ill-health. Zimbabwe prisons and correctional services spokesperson Superintendent Meya Khanyezi requested questions via email
and was yet to respond to our enquiry by end of day (Friday).