Prisons Boss Accedes To Chamisa’s Demands For Sikhala Visit
The Zimbabwe Prisons and Correctional Services (ZPCS) says CCC leader Nelson Chamisa is free to visit party activists and legislators Job Sikhala and Godfrey Sithole who have been in pre-trial detention since June.
Through his lawyers, Shava Law Chambers, Chamisa had earlier given ZPCS Commissioner General, Moses Chihobvu, a 24-hour ultimatum to explain why he had been denied permission to visit the CCC activists who were arrested and detained for allegedly inciting public violence in Nyatsime in June.
In a letter directed to Chamisa’s lawyers, ZPCS said Chamisa is free to visit the MPs and CCC activists but with some restrictions. ZPCS said:
Please be advised that authority has been granted for your client Mr Nelson Chamisa to visit members of his political party incarcerated in our prisons.
The approval for your client Mr Nelson Chamisa was given with some restrictions. He is required to notify the officer in charge of his intended visit in advance and the specific times.
He shall not chant slogans anywhere near the prisons and is forbidden from addressing any persons anywhere near the prisons.
… You may liaise with the respective officers in charge who may place further restrictions in the interests of good order and security.
Further, a prisoner shall not be visited by more than three visitors at one visit and the visit shall not last longer than thirty minutes.
Before ZPCS’s response, Chamisa had been barred from visiting Sithole and Sikhala and the Nyatsime 14 but MDC-T leader Douglas Mwonzora was recently given access to see them.
Sikhala and Sithole, however, refused to meet Mwonzora, according to a spokesperson, Freddy Michael Masarirevu. | NewZimbabwe.com
