Mugabe bedroom coup jibe, former war vets boss further remanded

A Harare Court yesterday ordered ex-war veterans leader Jabulani Sibanda charged with undermining the authority of President Robert Mugabe, to return to court on January 31.

Sibanda, the immediate past leader of the war veterans' association, who appeared before magistrate Vongai Muchuchuti-Guwuriro, was arrested in November 2014 after accusing the veteran leader of plotting "a bedroom coup".

Allegations against Sibanda arose on October 27, 2013 after he allegedly delivered a lengthy speech at Hebert Mine in Mutasa alleging that Mugabe and his wife Grace were planning to topple former vice president Joice Mujuru and replace her with the First Lady.

According to State papers, Sibanda further said he was not prepared for such an arrangement because power is not "sexually transmitted."

Mugabe retaliated by claiming that Sibanda was possessed by the "spirit of Beelzebub".

Sibanda also allegedly threatened to march to the State House, Mugabe's official residence, to confront the 92-year-old veteran leader over his grievances.

Muchuchuti-Guwuriro noted yesterday that the magistrates' courts do not have jurisdiction to proceed with the case because it is pending at the Constitutional Court (Con-Court). Sibanda has approached the Con-Court, arguing the charge was ultra vires his constitutional right to freedom of expression, also challenging the constitutionality of Section 33 (2) of the Criminal Law (Codification and Reform) Act he was being charged under for criminal insult.