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Three MDC Alliance Youth Languishing In Remand Prison For Standing In Solidarity With Job Sikhala…
18 September 2020
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Paul Nyathi

THREE MDC-Alliance young supporters who were arrested over three weeks ago at the Harare Magistrate’s court while demanding the release of the opposition party’s national vice chairperson Job Sikhala, have remained in custody.

Terrence Manjengwa, Blessed Changara and Barnabas Gura were remanded in custody when they appeared before Harare magistrate Mrs Barbra Mateko charged with possession of offensive weapons and contravening the Covid-19 national lockdown regulations.

They were not asked to plead.

Prosecutor Mr Lancelot Mutsokota opposed bail saying the three had other pending cases before the courts and were likely to commit other offences if they are freed.

“Chances are high that the accused persons can commit similar offences as Job Sikhala, whom they were in solidarity with seeking his freedom before the courts, is still held in custody and as such if granted bail they are likely to commit similar offences,” said Mr Mutsokoti.

The three were arrested when they teamed up with other MDC-A members and gathered at Harare magistrate’s court where Sikhala was appearing for his bail hearing on charges of inciting public violence by urging people to participate during the flopped July 31 planned protests.

Police had deployed the district reaction group at the courts to maintain law and order. The group heard the three were at the courts in an unregistered commuter omnibus and in possession of weapons.

Police approached the three and allegedly found them with catapults, stones, bolts and nuts and three empty beer bottles.

Upon their apprehension, the police are said to have discovered that they had no exemption letters that allowed them to travel during the lockdown.