Opposition MDC-Alliance national vice chairperson Job
Sikhala, who was arrested last week on charges of inciting public violence,
appeared in court on Monday where he is challenging his detention.
Before his arrest, Sikhala had spent almost a month in
hiding after the police said they were keen to interview him in connection with
statements he allegedly made encouraging people to take part in illegal mass
protests planned for July 31.
The opposition official is thought to have been one the
main organisers of the failed protests, along with other detained activists
Jacob Ngarivhume and Hopewell Chin’ono.
Sikhala, through his lawyers, argued before Harare
Magistrate Lanzini Ncube on Monday that his alleged statements did not amount
to inciting people to commit public violence.
In challenging his detention, Sikhala also claimed that he
had received death threats while in prison and feared for his life.
He also claimed that he did not feel safe being detained at
Chikurubi prison and wanted to be detained elsewhere.
Meanwhile, police dispersed rowdy opposition MDC-Alliance
supporters who had gathered outside the Harare Magistrate’s court during
Sikhala’s hearing.
The hearing continues on Tuesday.
New Ziana
#ZimRightsLIVE: Bail application for Job Sikhala has been pushed to tomorrow. His lawyers says Job doesn't feel safe being detained at Chikurubi Prison. #ZimbabweanLivesMatter @ZimEye @eNCA @SABCNews @BBCWorld @HillaryClinton @un @PacheduZW @Zimlive @Wamagaisa @dzikamaibere pic.twitter.com/7ZgfY0uG91— #ZimRights LIVE (@ZimRightsLIVE) August 24, 2020
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