MDC Alliance deputy chairperson Job Sikhala has been denied bail at Harare Magistrate’s court after a lengthy process he began by challenging placement on remand.
Sikhala has been remanded at Chikurubi Maximum prison since August 22, 2020.
Regional magistrate Lazini Ncube said Sikhala was not a suitable candidate for bail as he knew that the police were looking for him as confirmed in his videos.
Ncube said it was incumbent upon him to have reported to the nearest police station and surrender himself but due to the fact that he deliberately overlooked this, it was a sign that he was fleeing from the police.
He said it was proper for the court to consider Sikhala’s previous conduct in the other 64 cases he once appeared for, but it was trite that each case had its own merits and because the police looked for him for a long time, he never bothered to surrender and opted to hide.
“In light of the evidence led by the police and Sikhala’s conduct of not surrendering himself to the police knowing he was being sought, the court is of the view that he is not a suitable candidate for bail,” he said.
The State led by Garudzo Ziyaduma had opposed Sikhala’s admission to bail asserting that the State had compelling reasons to deny Sikhala bail and that he committed the alleged offence, if guilty would face a 10 year prison term.
He also said that Sikhala knew the police were after him and fled, reason enough to conclude that he would avoid trial if freed on bail.
However, the Defence led by Advocate Eric Matinenga argued that Sikhala was innocent and had no case to answer and as a legislator he knew his obligations to the Constitution and laws of the country.
He argued that in all his 64 cases before the courts Sikhala had always behaved honourably without absconding and was a good candidate for bail.
He stated that the State failed to produce compelling reasons to deny him bail and that the charges he was facing were baseless.
Matinenga also submitted that Sikhala had been charged with more serious offences before and had never absconded bail, therefore he was suitable to be freed.
After the ruling Matinenga’s co-counsel, Harrison Nkomo said they were going to submit a High Court appeal Friday morning. Nhau/lndaba
Zim Gossip 