Sikhala sues Home Affairs minister Kazembe Kazembe for $1,5 million over wrongful arrest.
Sikhala who is MDC Alliance deputy chairman, was arrested after addressing a rally in Masvingo in July last year and charged with treason. He was acquitted at the Masvingo High Court on February 14 this year.
In High Court papers submitted through his lawyers Muchadehama, Mbizo and Makoni, Sikhala said Kazembe caused untold suffering to him emotionally and physically.
He is demanding compensation for $1.5 million Zimbabwean dollars. Sikhala says that he was not able to work for his family during the time he was on remand.
Apart from Kazembe, Sikhala is also suing Police Commissioner General Godwin Matanga, CID Law and Order, and several police officers who were part of the arresting details and some whom he says allegedly tormented him as a suspect.
The $1,5 million amount is broken down as follows; $200,000 being damages for unlawful and wrongful arrest; $300,000 for pain, shock and suffering; $200,000 being damages for unlawful and wrongful detention; $300,000 special damages for loss of income; $200,000 for malicious prosecution and a further US$300,000 for travel, accommodation and subsistence during his trial.
In his court papers, Sikhala says hee was subjected to torture from the time he was arrested after handing himself over to CID Law and Order in Harare.
He was initially detained at Harare Central Police Station cells where he was not given blankets to cover himself. Sikhala’s lawyers say there was no running water in the cells and no toilet paper was provided.
The lawyers said their client was denied an opportunity to see them.
A day after his arrest, Sikhala said he was blindfolded and driven to Masvingo without the knowledge of his lawyers.
He said along the way to Masvingo, he was physically and verbally abused by police officers who travelled with him.
Sikhala said while at Remand Prison in Masvingo, the officers allowed a mentally-ill inmate into his cell. The prisoner would defecate in his blankets, leaving him to bear the stench smell and bear cold nights.
Sikhala told the High Court that as a member of the National Assembly he was entitled to allowances from parliament but failed to get the money because he missed some sittings.
The case is yet to be heard.