An outspoken and popular government critic, Sikhala was one of the most prominent figures to be arrested in recent years in what rights groups have described as a crackdown on dissent in the southern African country.
"He is now a free man. This is the only case that has been keeping him in custody, so he is going to come out," Sikhala's lawyer Harrison Nkomo told reporters outside the court.
A former lawmaker, Sikhala, 51, was convicted of inciting public violence last week at the end of a year-long trial that supporters said was politically motivated.
Another opposition member of parliament, Godfrey Sithole, was also found guilty on the same charges. The opposition leaders were both handed a two-year suspended sentence on Tuesday.
This should mean long-awaited freedom for Sikhala, with his lawyers saying he was expected to walk out Wednesday morning.
Sikhala and Sithole were convicted of inciting supporters to avenge the death of their political ally Moreblessing Ali, who was murdered by a ruling party activist in May 2022.
It wasn't the first brush with the law for Sikhala, whose long and troubled political career includes more than 60 arrests, according to his lawyers.
Douglas Coltart, another defense lawyer, said that allowing for Sikhala's release, the lenient sentence underscored the unfair treatment his client has been subjected to.
"The fact that he has been denied bail and kept in custody all this time is a horrific injustice," he said.
Critics have long accused the ruling ZANU-PF, in power since independence in 1980, of using the courts to silence opposition voices.
Despite his many arrests, Sikhala had been previously convicted only once in 2023 on obstruction of justice charges spanning from the same memorial service speech.
Coming ahead of presidential and legislative elections in August, that verdict disqualified him from running to retain his seat in parliament.
Prosecutors had alleged that by blaming ZANU-PF for the murder, he had diverted investigations focused on other suspects. The ruling was later overturned in appeal.
Herbert Chamuka, a member of the opposition People’s Unity Party, PUP, says Sikhala’s release coincides with growing infighting within the CCC — developments that were instigated by the resignation of Nelson Chamisa, the party’s presidential candidate in the previous election
“Sikhala’s release from prison is proof that something is amiss because why would they release him soon after Chamisa (Nelson) stepped down from his position,” Chamuka said.
These developments show that something is brewing within the CCC, Chamuka added.
Elijah Gumbo, a member of ZANU PF, disagreed with Chamuka.
“Sikhala’s release demonstrates how President Emmerson Mnangagwa’s government respects human rights and democracy,” Gumbo said.
“Everyone who says there is no freedom in Zimbabwe was proved wrong today after the court ruled in Sikhala’s favor,” he added.
Despite the court favoring Sikhala, the 51-year-old opposition leader is scheduled return to court on Feb. 7 to account for other cases.
Some information in this article was sourced from Agence France-Presse. VOA Zimbabwe’s Mlondolozi Ndlovu contributed to this article.
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