The
National
Democratic
Working
Group
(NDWG)
in
Zimbabwe
has
denied
that
explosives
allegedly
found
in opposition
politician
Job
“Wiwa”
Sikhala’s vehicle
during
his
arrest
in
Pretoria
belonged
to
him,
describing
the
incident
as
suspected
foul
play.
In
a
statement,
the
NDWG
said
Sikhala,
who
was
arrested
in
Gauteng
earlier
this
week,
was
“subjected
to
what
is
believed
to
be
suspected
foul
play”
when
the
vehicle
he
was
travelling
in
was
stopped
and
searched
by
members
of
the
South
African
Police
Service
(SAPS).
“During
the
search,
explosives
were
allegedly
discovered
in
the
vehicle.
Honourable
Sikhala
was
subsequently
arrested
and
is
currently
detained
at
Pretoria
central
prison,”
the
group’s
spokesperson
Silenkosi
Moyo
said.
The
NDWG
said
its
legal
team
was
“actively
engaged
on-site”
to
secure
the
opposition
leader’s
defence.
“We
categorically
maintain
that
the
explosives
found
do
not
belong
to
him,”
the
statement
added.
“As
the
National
Democratic
Working
Group,
we
stand
unwaveringly
beside
our
leader
and
reaffirm
our
commitment
to
defending
him
through
all
legal
means
available.”
The
group
appealed
to
the
public
to
keep
Sikhala
in
their
thoughts
and
prayers
during
what
it
described
as
“challenging
times.”
Sikhala’s
arrest
in
South
Africa
comes
less
than
a
year
after
his
release
from
detention
in
Zimbabwe,
where
he
was
arrested
for
allegedly
inciting
public
violence.
Rights
groups
and
opposition
figures
previously
accused
the
Harare
government
of
persecuting
him
for
his
political
activism.
Sikhala
remains
one
of
the
most
vocal
critics
of
Zanu
PF,
continuing
to
speak
out
against
corruption
and
human
rights
abuses
in
Zimbabwe.
His
latest
arrest
has
sparked
fresh
concern
among
Zimbabweans
in
the
diaspora
and
raised
questions
about
the
circumstances
surrounding
his
detention
in
South
Africa.
On
the
other
hand,
other
sections
of
the
Zimbabwean
society
accuse
Sikhala
of
being
involved
in
crime,
and
celebrated
his
arrest
in
Pretoria.
Source:
‘Explosives
are
not
his’:
Zimbabwean
group
defends
Job
Sikhala
after
his
arrest
in
South
Africa
Post
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in:
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