By 
Harare Magistrate Taurai Manuwere has denied Citizens Coalition for Change Legislator Job Sikhala’s sixth bail application.
Sikhala through his lawyer Jeremiah Bamu had applied for bail on changed circumstances, but Manuwere ruled that there were no changed circumstances.
Manuwere ruled that the Defence counsel wanted the court to rule the matter basing on public opinions which are not factual.
He also added that it is not the mere passage of time that warrants the granting of bail and also said there is significant progress in the investigations of the matter.
“The courts are independent; a member of the Judiciary should make a decision and shall not be swayed by fear of criticism and must not be swayed by fear and partisan perceptions.
“I refuse to be swayed by public perception, opinion and application dismissed,” said Manuwere.
The matter was remanded to November 2.
Sikhala is accused of posting a video calling for justice for the late CCC activist Moreblessing Ali.
He is charged with inciting public violence, a charge also based on the same circumstances.
In an interview with Sikhalas’s family lawyer Freddy Masarirevhu, said the court must consider the Criminal Procedure and Evidence Act in making its bail ruling.
“It is general knowledge that the courts are for the people not the other way round and for a court to give a suggestion that the public perception over what is happening in judicial proceedings does not matter or is irrelevant its shocking because as a basis for denying bail the Criminal Procedure and Evident Act is actually very clear.
“The court has to also consider the public perceptions to say what does the public think if we release someone on bail the same must also apply to say what does the public think in the event that we do not releases someone on bail.
“We have got a petition that is signed by over 50 000 people that fact has been admitted and the court did not deny that fact that there is that petition but it is saying we don’t care we are not bound by that clear to be the courts have seized to be that courts of the people and for the people,” he said.
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