Expelled former War Veterans chairman Jabulani SIbanda is to remain in prison on charges of “Insulting President Robert Mugabe”.
Sibanda who is credited for inventing the term “Bedroom Coup,” referring to Mugabe’s Wife’s meteoric rise to power in which she sought to unseat outgoing Vice President Joice Mujuru, was last week slapped behind bars for the so called “crime” said to have been committed on the 27^th October.
Even while in prison, Sibanda has continued in his request for a meeting with President Robert Mugabe to present his case that he did not insult the head of state but was only making a constitutional protest against the attacks on Vice President Joice Mujuru. He told ZimEye earlier,
“I know nothing about the attack of President Mugabe. I just started to hear about it on the 5th November from the newspapers…
“I know nothing about that.
“One thing I know is that I didn’t attend the (Grace Mugabe) rally because I was busy doing college work.
“I was not even compelled to attend the rally. If I wanted to attend the rally I would have attended but because that rally has developed some hatred and apparently people are fighting for power in the party I was not really interested. I couldn’t afford to substitute the work I was doing to unite in the party and join a group that uses power position and who are fighting for power.”
 
Appearing before magistrate Vakai Chikwekwe yesterday Sibanda was remanded in custody to Tuesday when his lawyer Sobusa Gula-Ndebele presents a bail application as well as pleas to have the trial relocated to his home town in Bulawayo.
 
Meanwhile State Prosecutor Jonathan Murombedzi alleged that on the 27^th October Sibanda conducted an ‘illegal’ meeting at Herbert Mine in Mutasa where he insulted President Robert Mugabe saying he was using a coup to remove Mujuru and announcing that Grace Mugabe was launching a bedroom coup by attacking Vice President Joice Mujuru. In his speech Sibanda, who was addressing the gathering of freedom fighters converged at Herbert Mine where remains of 82 freedom fighters were exhumed from a disused mine shaft, said the Zanu PF Politburo is now dominated by power hungry people and as war veterans they will not allow them to prevail.
According to the State outline Sibanda also alleged that war veterans are being blocked from meeting President Mugabe, threatening to organise a march to State House to meet their patron if this continues.