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Court Reporter

The trial of CCC deputy chairman Job Sikhala opened yesterday on charges of obstructing police investigations into the murder of Ms Moreblessing Ali and the violence that ensued in Nyatsime area in June when he allegedly recorded and posted a video on social media which hindered investigations.

This trial is separate from the one where he is accused of inciting public violence in Nyatsime after the kidnapping and murder of Ms Ali in June.

When the trial on the obstruction charges started, Sikhala applied to Harare regional magistrate Mrs Marehwanazvo Gofa for exception to the charge of obstructing the police, that is to have the charge dropped.

The State, through Mr Zabadiah Bofu, will respond to Sikhala’s application tomorrow before the court makes a ruling on December 13.

Through his lawyers, Mr Jeremiah Bamu and Mr Harrison Nkomo, Sikhala wanted the obstruction of the police charge to be dropped before the trial even started, arguing that the State’s allegations did not form an offence.

He told the court that he did not post or cause anyone to record and post on social media the video that the State alleged had hindered police investigations.

Sikhala said he had no knowledge that police had launched investigations into the matter, as he was only rendering legal services to Ali’s family.

He also argued that there was an unnecessary split of charges from the one he was charged with incitement to commit public violence, which arose from the same incident.

On the charge of obstructing the police, Sikhala argued there was nowhere in the video that showed him addressing or giving information to the police and there was no utterance where the police were asked to act on what he said.

The charge sheet did not allege that the police acted on that information and did not allege how acting on what Sikhala said obstructed their investigations, he argued.

Sikhala argued that he had no control over police conduct.

In denying the charges, Sikhala denied uploading any video and said he did not circulate any video.