Scores of armed police officers reportedly stormed MDC99 leader Job Sikhala’s home in St Mary’s suburb, Chitungwiza, on Thursday afternoon searching for weapons of war.
The raid comes amid reports the MDC99 president wanted to spearhead a 65-day hunger strike to force President Robert Mugabe to leave office. Police spokesperson Wayne Bvudzijena professed ignorance about the incident.
“I haven’t received such a report,” said Bvudzijena. Sikhala claimed he was not at home when the raid happened, but said the police were brandishing a search warrant.
“My home was raided by armed cops in my absence, who went and seized my wife from church before frog-marching her to our home where they searched everywhere,” he claimed.
“They had a search warrant and said they were searching for weapons of war which they claimed were hidden at my house.”
Sikhala said everything in his house was turned upside down during the search. He identified one of the officers as inspector Thandi and a Mkwaira of the Law and Order Section from Harare, saying they led a team of about 50 officers. Sikhala said the police found nothing at his home. His wife was still in a state of shock and refused to be interviewed.
The cops who reportedly sealed Sikhala’s home are said to have arrived in a fleet of four–by-four double cab vehicles.
According to Sikhala, a top executive of his party was recently expelled after allegedly selling false information to the Central Intelligence Organisation that he was hiding weapons of war at his Chitungwiza home.
