Sibanda further remanded

News
Former war veterans’ leader Jabulani Sibanda, who is facing charges of insulting President Robert Mugabe, was yesterday further remanded to December 15 this year, for possible trial, pending a determination of his constitutional application at the Constitutional Court (ConCourt).

Former war veterans’ leader Jabulani Sibanda, who is facing charges of insulting President Robert Mugabe, was yesterday further remanded to December 15 this year, for possible trial, pending a determination of his constitutional application at the Constitutional Court (ConCourt).

by PAIDAMOYO MUZULU

Early this year, Sibanda filed a constitutional challenge against Section 33 of the Criminal Law (Codification and Reform) Act which outlaws the criticism of the Head of State.

Jabulani Sibanda
Jabulani Sibanda

Prosecutor Sebastian Mutizirwa told Harare magistrate Francis Mapfumo that the State and the defence counsel, Hardlife Tsuro, had consented that the matter should further be remanded to enable the ConCourt to make a determination on the war veteran’s application.

It is the State’s case that Sibanda insulted Mugabe while addressing war veterans in Mutare by saying the President and his wife, Grace, were committing a ‘bedroom coup’ in Zanu PF by trying to oust former vice-President Joice Mujuru from the party.

The outspoken war veteran is also said to have told the gathering that political “power was not sexually transmitted”.

The statements were made at the height of Zanu PF succession politics as the party was going towards the sixth national congress that was held in Harare.

At the time, Grace had toured the country and made unsavoury remarks against Mujuru, whom she accused of plotting to unconstitutionally unseat Mugabe at the party congress.