Citizens Coalition for Change (CCC) deputy national chairman Job Sikhala and fellow legislator Godfrey Sithole spent their third night in detention after court proceedings only ended after 7 pm Thursday.

Deputy Chief Magistrate Godfrey Mandaza postponed the hearing to Friday and CCC officials fear court appearance will again be delayed in order to keep the duo in detention through the weekend.

Sikhala and Sithole face public violence charges after clashes rocked the funeral wake and memorial services for murdered CCC party activist Moreblessing Ali.

Ali’s body was found last Saturday cut into pieces and thrown into a well at the Beatrice home of claimed Zanu-PF supporter and murder suspect Pius Jamba.

Jamba has since been arrested and due to appear in court.

Prosecutors allege that Sikhala, who is also the Ali family lawyer, urged Zimbabweans  to avenge the Ali’s murder in a video which went viral on social media.

For his part, Sithole, the CCC member of Parliament for Chitungwiza North, is charged with participating in inciting violence and arranging lorries which ferried party activists who attacked the homes of Zanu-PF supporters.

Godfrey Sithole and Job Sikhala at the Harare courts Thursday

Both denied the charges through defence lawyers Jeremiah Bamu and Alec Muchadehama who said the charges against their clients were fabricated.

Bamu asked the State to make available the video Sikhala allegedly posted inciting violence because “he wants to demonstrate that Sikhala is not the one who posted the video and that he did not utter any statements inciting violence at all.”

“We want to prove that the accused did not supply those lorries,” said Bamu.