Zimbabwe opposition figure given suspended sentence following pretrial detention

Zimbabwean opposition figure Job Sikhala waves as he arrives at the magistrates’ courts in Harare, Zimbabwe (Tsvangirayi Mukwazhi/AP)

A Zimbabwe opposition figure who spent nearly two years in pretrial detention is set be freed after a magistrate sentenced him to a suspended prison sentence on Tuesday for inciting violence.

Job Sikhala, an outspoken official with the main opposition Citizens Coalition for Change party and a former member of parliament, was given the suspended two-year sentence after a trial that supporters criticised as being politically motivated.