LAWYER Beatrice Mtetwa yesterday claimed that legislators Job Sikhala and Godfrey Sithole were being persecuted to force the opposition Citizens Coalition for Change (CCC) party to join the Political Actors Dialogue (Polad).
President Emmerson Mnangagwa created Polad soon after the
2018 elections, a platform trough which he regularly meets the 2018 losing
presidential candidates.
CCC has refused to join Polad dismissing it as a ruling
Zanu PF cheerleaders club.
Mtetwa said they had gathered evidence that Sikhala and
Sithole were being punished for their party’s refusal to join Polad. She made
the statement as she launched a fresh bail application yesterday.
“We are applying for bail on the basis of changed
circumstances. The accused persons continuing being in custody is more
political than legal,” Mtetwa said.
“There is a video of constitutional lawyer professor
Lovemore Madhuku who has publicly stated that the accused persons’
incarceration is a political strategy to force their party to join Polad where
they will be under Mnangagwa who is a politician.”
Mtetwa said Madhuku was speaking from an informed position
that this is a political case.
“Being a constitutional expert Madhuku publicly stated
those utterances in the public fora. These are the changed circumstances that
were not before you. The laws require that when the court sees that they are
being used for political cause they must relook and give the accused persons
their liberty.
“In a properly functioning judicial system this revelation
by Madhuku will result in quashing of the charges. An independent prosecution
authority will refuse to be used to fight political battles.”
Mtetwa also referred to yesterday’s NewsDay article saying
at least 50 000 people had signed a petition seeking Mnangagwa’s intervention
over Sikhala’s arrest.
“The justice system must have confidence in its citizens,
if not, the entire administration of justice is put into disrepute. If 50 000
citizens signed saying the courts are being used then we are in trouble,” she
said.
Harare Magistrate Taurai Manuwere will deliver his ruling
on October 5.
Sithole and Sikhala are being accused of inciting public
violence at the funeral wake of Moreblessing Ali who was murdered in June by an
alleged Zanu PF activist Pius Jamba.
They are charged alongside 14 Nyatsime residents. Newsday
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