Jabulani Sibanda case deferred to June

The case in which ousted war veterans leader Jabulani Sibanda faces charges of insulting President Mugabe while addressing an unsanctioned rally in Mutare in 2014 has been further remanded to June 30 pending a Constitutional Court ruling.

Sibanda of 57 Nkulumane, Bulawayo, faces charges of contravening Section 33 (2) (b) of the Criminal Law (Codification and Reform) Act Chapter 9:23.

He is arguing that the charge had the effect of infringing on his rights and freedoms enshrined in the Constitution. Harare magistrate Mr Elijah Makomo further remanded the matter to June 30. Allegations are that on October 27, 2014 at Herbert Mine in Mutasa, Sibanda addressed an illegal gathering of war veterans at the mine shaft.

The gathering was for the reburial of the bodies of exhumed liberation war fighters, despite the event having been rescheduled to a later date by former Minister of Home Affairs Kembo Mohadi. Sibanda allegedly delivered a lengthy speech and said the President and his wife (Dr Grace Mugabe) were plotting a bedroom coup to remove Vice President Joice Mujuru and replace her with the First Lady.