Sikhala acquitted of publishing falsehoods, inciting public violence charges

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..after spending 595 days in prison for breaking nonexistent law

High Court Overturns Convictions Against Job Sikhala For Which He Spent 595 Days In Prison

The High Court of Zimbabwe has overturned two separate convictions and sentences against prominent opposition politician Job Sikhala.

On July 22, 2024, the High Court issued rulings that overturned Sikhala’s previous convictions and sentences on charges of inciting violence and communicating falsehoods.

On January 24, 2024, Sikhala was found guilty of inciting violence by Harare Magistrate Tafadzwa Miti. This charge stemmed from the unrest that erupted during the funeral of slain Citizens Coalition for Change (CCC) activist Moreblessing Ali in June 2022.

In a separate case on February 15, 2024, Sikhala was fined US$500 by Harare Regional Magistrate Feresi Chakanyuka for communicating falsehoods.

Chakanyuka also handed Sikhala a nine-month suspended sentence, contingent on him not committing a similar offence within the next five years.

To those who have been used to persecuting me, my family, and everyone associated with me, remember there is God in heaven.

Your day of judgment shall also come. The nonsense peddled that it then defeats our view that the judiciary is captured when it comes to political prisoners is as scandalous as its peddlers.

Where there is no evidence that even a kraalhead would convict leaves judiciary officers of dignity with no option but to uphold their dignity by throwing away fake convictions.

Award-winning journalist Hopewell Chin’ono had harsh words for the two female magistrates involved in the lower court rulings.

Chin’ono described Tafadzwa Miti and Feresi Chakanyuka as “shameless” in their handling of the cases against Sikhala. Said Chin’ono:

Feresi Chakanyuka, and on the right is Tafadzwa Mhiti, the two shameless magistrates who convicted Job Sikhala for crimes he didn’t commit.

Feresi Chakanyuka is so shameless that she used a law that doesn’t exist to convict and jail Sikhala. She even disregarded a High Court ruling that clearly stated such a law doesn’t exist!

Make them famous by RETWEETING them; it is time the whole world knows these accessories to repression and abuse of power!

There must be an online website that documents all these corrupt and captured magistrates, the opposition must learn to fight back using today’s tools like the internet and AI to expose these unprofessional and captured ZANUPF magistrates!

It is unbelievable that Feresi Chakanyuka could blatantly disregard the ruling of a higher court ruling and apply a non-existent law to convict someone!

Tafadzwa Miti, too, has proven that she is no better than Chakanyuka with her equally shameful role in this sham trial.

These names need to be known and remembered for posterity!