'Arrest of Sikhala's wife raises security concerns for his family'

INCARCERATED Citizens Coalition for Change (CCC) Chairperson Job Sikhala's lawyer has raised concerns over the arrest of the lawmaker's wife, saying her life could be in danger.

Freddy Masarirevhu said the way the arrest of Ellen Sikhala was effected raises a lot of questions and discomfort.

Ellen was arrested for allegedly violating traffic regulations on her way to Chikurubi prison where her husband is detained.

She was later released and is due to appear in court Thursday.

"They say she was driving recklessly hence they charged her with a traffic offence," said the attorney.

"There is a lot that happened leading to the arrest. There were some police officers who escalated the matter after disclosing that she was Sikhala's wife.

"If it was an ordinary person they would not have arrested her. Some people who were arrested for similar offence were let go after being charged and paying a fine but us we will appear in Court. The arrest raises suspicion," said Masarirevu in an interview.

Zimbabwe Republic Police (ZRP) spokesperson Assistant Commissioner Paul Nyathi rubbished insinuations that the arrest of the legislator's wife was politically motivated.

"They are politicising a simple traffic offence. Are we saying that because someone is a wife of a Member of Parliament she should not be arrested?" said Nyathi.

The arrest comes barely a day after Sikhala penned a letter from prison expressing concern over the safety of his family.

In the letter, Sikhala and colleague Godfrey Sithole pleaded for security cameras to be installed at their houses saying their families were receiving unusual visits from strangers.

The legislators were arrested in June for inciting public violence following the gruesome murder of CCC activist Moreblessing Ali.

All efforts to secure freedom have been blocked by the courts on grounds that the two were men of means.