Citizens Coalition For Change (CCC) member of parliament for Zengeza East Constituency Hon Jacob Sikhala was convicted and fined US$600 for interfering with police investigations in the Moreblessing Ali case.
Sikhala was arrested in June 2022 for inciting public violence and interfering with police investigations after he had threatened to avenge Ali’s death.
Ali disappeared for three weeks before she was found dead with her body dismembered and bumped in a well.
Ali was a CCC activist.
However, Sikhala’s sentencing last Wednesday comes after Sikhala had endured pretrial incarceration for over 300 days.
The pretrial incarceration was condemned by members of the opposition and human rights activists and lawyers.
The Wednesday conviction and sentencing was addressing the interfering with police investigation charge, therefore Sikhala remains in custody awaiting a ruling for the charge for inciting public violence.
Sikhala was convicted and fined a few days after Transform Zimbabwe President Jacob Ngarivhume was sentenced to four years in prision for inciting public violence for calling on Zimbabweans to protest against corruption.
One year of Ngarivhume’s sentence was suspended.
