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Senior Court Reporter
THE trial of MDC-Alliance vice chairperson Job Sikhala on allegations of inciting public got off to a false start yesterday after one of the prosecutors handling the matter was said to be in self isolation after he got in contact with a person who tested positive for Covid-19.
Mrs Tendai Shonhai, appearing for the State, told regional magistrate Mr Stanford Mambanje that the prosecutor with the docket was not available and applied for postponement of the matter to July 14 for trial.
Lawyers Mr Jeremiah Bamu and Mr Harrison Nkomo, who are representing Sikhala did not oppose the State’s application.
Mr Mambanje then agreed to defer the matter to July 14. The magistrate who had previously been handling the matter, Mr Lazini Ncube, recused himself from handling the case. Allegations are that between March 1 and August 21, 2020, Sikhala originated and posted videos on different social media platforms with intent to incite public violence.
In the videos, Sikhala is alleged to have said: “People from the Zambezi to Limpopo and Forbes Border Post to Victoria Falls, 31 July 2020 should be your day. This is the kind of war that we have. If we do not fight this war, nothing will come out until we die. These men have oppressed people for a long time.”
The State also alleges that Sikhala used his social media accounts to incite Zimbabweans living in the United Kingdom, Australia and South Africa to attack Zimbabwean embassies.
Online Reporter