Former Zengeza West MP, Job Sikhala, is set to appear at the Harare Magistrates’ Court on Friday, 16 February in a case in which he is accused of disorderly conduct in a public place.
Sikhala was in court earlier on Thursday, 15 February, where he was fined US$500 by Harare regional magistrate Feresi Chakanyuka for communicating falsehoods.
In a statement, the National Prosecuting Authority (NPA) confirmed that Sikhala will appear in court tomorrow on a charge of contravening Section 41(a) of the Criminal Law Codification and Reform Act Chapter 9:23. It said:
Job Sikhala was this morning sentenced to a fine of USD500 by a Harare Magistrate on charges of publishing or communicating false statements prejudicial to the State.
He was sentenced to a further 9 months imprisonment, wholly suspended for 5 years on condition that he does not commit any offence involving publishing or communicating false statements prejudicial to the State.
The charges are emanating from a statement that the accused person made on social media sometime in 2021 alleging that the Police were responsible for the death of an infant.
The accused person will appear again in court tomorrow for judgment in another case in which he is accused of contravening Section 41(a) of the Criminal Law Codification and Reform Act Chapter 9:23, which is disorderly conduct in a public place.
In May 2023, Sikhala and former Chitungwiza Mayor Lovemore Maiko appeared before Harare magistrate Yeukai Dzuda on allegations of disorderly conduct.
Police officer Keffus Kumurai and Zanu PF supporter Pardon Chitembwe were brought in as witnesses and testified that Sikhala and opposition supporters initiated violence against Zanu PF supporters.
The witnesses claimed that a fight broke out between the two political parties and police had to intervene.
Keffus Kumurai told the court that he was patrolling in Zengeza while a Zanu PF gathering was being held at the Zengeza 5 grounds. He said suddenly a white lorry appeared with 40 people, including Sikhala.
Officer Kumurai testified that a fight broke out between the two political parties and police had to park their vehicles between the two political party camps.
However, a statement produced in court by the same policeman claimed that supporters of both parties threw stones at each other. The police officer suggested that this may have been the result of a typing error.
Pardon Chitembwe claimed that the opposition supporters were carrying stones in the truck and that Lovemore Maiko was giving more stones to the youths to throw at them.
Chitembwe also accused Job Sikhala of throwing a stone that hit one of their members, Shepard Tawodzera. Chitembwe stated that he is the secretary for security in the ruling party.
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