By Staff Writer
THE government has dismissed utterances classifying the just released former Zengeza West legislator,Job Sikhaka as a victim of political circumstances by insisting he is mere criminal convict as ruled by the courts.
The remarks come on the back of accusations by a section of the society alluding to the fact that Sikhala should be remembered as one of the political detainees in modern Zimbabwe.
He spent a total 595 days in prison following the Nyatsime fracas which later led the state to accuse him of fanning hate speech and violence to avenge the murder of Moreblessing Ali.
Sikhala was only released this week after Magistrate Tafadzwa Mangosi handed over a wholly two years suspended sentence.The opposition and civil society organisations have however described Sikhala as a political prisoner .
But in a statement Thursday night, Information ,Publicity and Broadcasting Services Minister ,Dr Jenfan Muswere dismissed the political prisoner status insisting that Sikhala is a pure criminal.
“Political crimes and hence political prisoners must be differentiated from the activities and behaviours of common criminals .Mr Sikhala was arrested and convicted in terms of the laws of the country.
“The state will not be hindered in its effort to allow the generality of its citizenry to enjoy all fundamental human rights ascribed to them by our constitution by any individual or class of individuals through proliferation of hate speech and incitement to violence,” he said.
He insisted that Sikhala was found guilty of inciting pubic violence by the courts and thus he is not a political prisoner.
“Those who commit crimes will definitely meet their day in court and the judiciary will adjudicate without any fear or favour,” added Muswere.
