Paul Nyathi

The Harare Magistrates Court on Tuesday discredited evidence given by lawyer Beatrice Mtetwa as a witness in the case of MDC Alliance national vice chairperson, Job Sikhala, who is facing charges of inciting public violence ahead of the flopped July 31 protests.

Mtetwa took to the witness stand to testify that Sikhala had not been on the run from the police as she had personally delivered correspondence to the police indicating the availability of Sikhala if they were looking for him.

In her testimony, Mrs Mtetwa exonerated Sikhala after telling the court that she made all the arrangements to accompany him to the police if they were indeed looking for him.

However, the State led by Mr Garudzo Ziyadhuma opposed Ms Mtetwa’s claims saying she never delivered the said letter to the police since it was not signed.

Another witness, Mr Albert Masaka who is the editor of Zim Community News was called in to testify and also exonerated Sikhala confirming that he had interview with him to show that Sikhala was not in hiding from the police.

The court heard that the video and audio clips under controversy were retrieved from the Zim Community news.

In opposing bail, prosecutor Garudzo Siyadhuma previously told the court that Sikhala was a flight risk, hence not a suitable candidate for bail.

Mr Siyaduma led evidence from Detective Collins Makore of the CID Law and Order section who told the court that police struggled to arrest Sikhala.

Detective Makore said when they arrived at the house where Sikhala was, he was hiding in the ceiling.

Sikhala is said to have only responded after police threatened to throw a teargas canister into the house.

“When we entered the house, we met a woman who lied that she was alone in the house,” he said.

The court heard that during the period stretching from March 2020, Sikhala called on the people to demonstrate against the Government on July 31, by saying “there is a war we should fight and if we don’t fight, nothing will come out . . . I will fight the State since I’m not easily intimidated.”

According to the State, the declarations were made by Sikhala on his social media platforms, adding there was reasonable suspicion that he committed an offence.