Harare magistrate Tafadzwa Miti has handed down suspended jail sentences of two years to Job Sikhala and Godfrey Sithole. The two individuals were found guilty of inciting public violence during the funeral wake of Citizens Coalition for Change (CCC) activist Moreblessing Ali.
Magistrate Miti stated that she suspended the sentence after considering that Sikhala had spent considerable time in prison in pre-trial detention.
As a result of this judgment, Sikhala, who has been in prison since June 14, 2022, is set to be released.
Sithole, on the other hand, had been detained for 149 days before being released on bail on November 10, 2022. The Chitungwiza North Member of Parliament (MP) was granted bail of $300,000 and was ordered to report to Chitungwiza Police Station twice a week, as well as surrender his passport, as part of his bail conditions.
Sikhala has consistently maintained that his arrest was politically motivated and that he did not commit any crime. He argued that he was being punished for confronting the ruling ZANU PF party. Some analysts argued that he was imprisoned to ensure that he did not campaign for his party, CCC, in the past elections. Zimbabwe held harmonised elections on 23-24 August 2023. Sikhala has lost his Parliamentary post since he did not participate in the elections. He was an MP for Zengeza West.