The trial of CCC members Job Sikhala and newly elected Chitungwiza mayor Lovemore Maiko on charges of inciting public violence in Chitungwiza continued yesterday with the former initially refusing to testify on his own defence.
The pair allegedly led CCC supporters to stone Zanu PF supporters last year, in what the State alleges was an unprovoked attack.
Prosecutors Mr Tafara Chirambira and Ms Dzidzai Josiah told the court that the two contravened section 41 (a) of the Criminal Law Codification and Reform Act by behaving in a disorderly manner when they led a CCC group and approached a group of Zanu PF supporters that were gathered at a rally in Chitungwiza on May 2, 2022 at an open ground in Zengeza 5 suburb.
The former Zengeza lawmaker indicated that he would be exercising his right to silence by not testifying in his own defence.
Mr Chirambira however, proceeded to cross examine Sikhala. He asked the defendant whether as a lawyer, he thought it was wise to deny placing his defence on record under oath as all he had given previously was just a defence outline and not necessarily binding on the court.
A defiant Sikhala said as far as he was concerned, an outline and a testimony were the same.
After he was cross examined, Sikhala closed his defence through his lawyer Mr Jeremiah Bhamu and the court indicated that judgment in the matter would be passed on January 12, 2023.
Herald
