HARARE – A High Court bail appeal by MDC Alliance vice chairman Job Sikahala has been delayed because magistrates are allegedly refusing to sign the record of proceedings from the lower court, a court heard on Wednesday.
This was revealed by Sikhala’s lawyer Jeremiah Bamu when Sikhala’s appeal was brought before Justice Erica Ndewere at the Harare High Court.
The appeal was not heard because the record from the Magistrates Court was not there, prompting the judge to order chief magistrate Munamato Mutevedzi to sign it.
The appeal will now be heard on Friday.
Sikhala is accused of inciting the public to commit violence during protests that were planned for July 31. He has been in prison for over two weeks.
“The appellant’s record could not be availed as there was no magistrate willing to sign it since magistrate Lazini Ncube who presided over the case is on leave,” Bamu told Justice Ndewere.
“Even the chief magistrate Munamato Mutevedzi refused to go over the record reasoning that it was too long and therefore did not sign it.”
Sikhala was denied bail by Ncube who ruled that he was a flight risk. The magistrate also said the politician is facing a serious offence which might induce him to flee if released on bail.
The lawmaker also challenged his placement on remand with no success after Ncube ruled that there was reasonable suspicion he committed the offence he is accused of.
Sikhala spent days challenging placement on remand before his application was dismissed.
He also submitted a lengthy bail application which lasted for days before his request was again turned down.
