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Presidential spokesperson, George Charamba, has poured scorn on Citizens’ Coalition for Change (CCC) leader, Nelson Chamisa’s Chikurubi visit, telling the opposition leader he can meet his party members at their next court appearance.
Prior to Charamba’s remarks, Chamisa was denied access to visit incarcerated lawmakers, Job Sikhala and Godfrey Sithole, among other detained CCC activists, at Chikurubi Maximum Prison Thursday.
In a post on Twitter, Charamba said authorities would not compromise national security just to please Chamisa.
This is despite the country’s laws guaranteeing any person who is detained, including a convicted prisoner, the right to communicate with, and be visited by a relative or anyone else of their choice.
“Chikurubi Maximum Prison is a high security zone. We don’t play games with dangerous criminals behind bars. Be at liberty to meet your inmate friends in the court gallery at their next appearance.
“This is standard practice and a much safer way.We don’t compromise national security,” Charamba said.
Earlier on, Chamisa was forced to wait three hours before he was allowed entry into the prison precinct.
Upon entry into the complex, prison officers advised that Justice Minister Ziyambi Ziyambi had instructed to deny him access.
This was despite being granted access last week by the same ministry.
“It is very sad and regrettable that we had come to visit our colleagues, Honourable Members of Parliament, Job Sikhala and Godfrey Sithole (but have been shut out).
“It is an embarrassment, it is harassment and unacceptable that we have this kind of abuse of the law.
Apart from just being an ordinary citizen I am also a practising lawyer and I have every right to see any client if need be.
“They threw away all those conditions to just make it a humiliating act as it has happened.
Very unfortunate, we will fight this, and we obviously continue to wish our colleagues well,” Chamisa told journalists at Chikurubi soon after his ill-fated visit.
Sikhala, Sithole and a group of CCC activists were arrested on June 14 this year for allegedly inciting violence, which rocked slain CCC activist, Moreblessing Ali’s funeral.
The group named the Nyatsime16 has been denied bail by both the lower courts and High Court several times. New Zimbabwe
