Harare Magistrate Tafadzwa Miti has sentenced Former Zengeza West legislator Job Sikhala and his colleague Godfrey Sithole to a two year prison term wholly suspended for five years on condition that they do not commit a crime of inciting violence.

Sikhala who spend over 500 days in pre-trial detention was last week convicted of inciting public violence.

Speaking to journalists outside the Harare Magistrates court, Sikhala’s lawyer Harrison Nkomo said they will take the matter to the High Court as they are in disgreement with his prosecution and conviction.

“Job Sikhala has been given a two year prison term wholly suspended for five years. The legal effect is that he is now a free man, this is the only case that has been keeping in custody so he is going to come out.

“The prosecution should not have happened in the first place, we must not glorify things that are wrong, my respectiful view is that his arrest in the first place was not supposed to be effected, equally the prosecution and subsequent conviction,”

“We are going to take the matter up with the High Court on appeal, what we want is an acquittal not a conviction with a lighter sentence, no we disagree with that,” said Nkomo.

Meanwhile, Sikhala will be back in court on 7 February 2024 for a ruling in a matter he is accused of publishing falsehoods.