High Court judge, Justice Erica Ndewere has granted Zengeza West MP, Job Sikhala ZWL$ 50 000 bail. The opposition, MDC Alliance’s deputy chairperson’s was initially granted ZWL$ 25 000 bail, but it was raised to ZW$50 000 after court heard he has no title deeds to any of his properties. Justice Ndewere was unconvinced by the magistrate court’s earlier findings that the MP was likely to be a fugitive. “An accused person must be admitted to bail so that he keeps the fabric of his life in place,” she said. Sikhala, who has been in remand for more than 30 days, is facing charges of inciting public violence ahead of the failed July 31 protests. He was ordered to report thrice a week at St Mary’s police and is not allowed to record inciteful content. Sikhala was also barred from participating in WhatsApp groups and social media platforms with intent to incite public violence.
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It was all smiles for the MDC Alliance and the followers of Job Sikhala who was finally granted bail in the sum of $50 000 today following weeks of fruitless efforts . Job Sikhala has been kept at Chikurubi Maximum Prison for more than a month.
However, ZimLive.com delivered bad news for Job Sikhala despite being granted bail today.This is after the following information was shared by the news agency on its Twitter channel.It seems like the Chairperson of the MDC Alliance will be spending one more night at Chikurubi Maximum Prison:
" Job Sikhala is spending another night in prison despite being granted bail. The judge's order came too late for his lawyers to deposit his bail. Even as a technically free man, Sikhala left the High Court in leg irons "
This means that Job Sikhala has to wait for tomorrow morning before he can finally go home.It is a bad development not only for Job , but for his followers as well who had celebrated the release on bail of the Member of Parliament who has been arrested more than sixty times.
