JB Sibanda still in custody

Innocent Ruwende Harare Bureau
OUSTED and renegade war veterans’ leader Jabulani Sibanda, who was arrested last week in Bulawayo for undermining the authority of the President, remained in police custody yesterday after a Harare magistrate granted an application made by Zimbabwe Republic Police for his further detention.

Sibanda on Saturday appeared before Harare magistrate Milton Serima who granted police their request to detain him for a further 24 hours while they continue with their investigations.

Sharon Mashavira prosecuted the matter.

The former war veterans leader is expected to be charged under Section 33 of the Criminal Law (Codification and Reform) Act. The Act criminalises undermining the authority of the President. Sibanda is reportedly being held at Braeside Police Station, sources said.

Police sources said investigators are keen to get the former war veterans leader to clarify comments he made in which he appeared to accuse President Mugabe of plotting a “bedroom coup”, while voicing his opposition to First Lady Grace Mugabe’s imminent elevation to lead the Zanu-PF Women’s League.

In October Sibanda declared he would boycott the First Lady’s popular “Meet the People” rallies held in all the country’s 10 provinces.

He firmly sided with Vice President Cde Joice Mujuru, who has been accused of plotting to overthrow the President and also faces a string of corruption allegations after she reportedly extorted shares and money from private firms.

Sibanda vowed to boycott the First Lady’s rallies until she stopped her public criticism of VP Mujuru for corruption and blatant abuse of office. He said he was ready to defend his position and warned that real war veterans would resist attempts to stage “a bedroom coup”, drawing a sharp rebuke from President Mugabe who said the war veterans leader was possessed by the “spirit of Beelzebub”.

“If you want to find me guilty of not attending the First Lady’s rallies, I plead guilty on that one and I won’t attend unless the programme changes. I can’t attend a function where they say ‘Pamberi ne Mazoe Crush’, ‘Pasi ne Gamatox’. That slogan is unknown in Zanu-PF,” Sibanda charged recently.

The party youths have also condemned Sibanda.