NAWAKWI WAS ARRESTED EVEN BEFORE COMPLAINANT REPORTED HER, ARRESTING OFFICER TELLS COURT
August 21, 2021….Lusaka
STATE witness Kelvin Kandela who is also the arresting officer of Forum for Democracy and Development (FDD) leader Edith Nawakwi told court yesterday that he arrested her before the matter was fully investigated.
Testifying before Lusaka Principal Magistrate Ireen Wishimanga, Kandela said madam Nawakwi was picked up and detained before even the second complainant had filed his complaint.
He also disclosed that the call-out which police issued was not served on the accused, but the arrest was still instituted.
This is in a matter were the FDD leader Nawakwi is charged with one count of seditious practices.
It alleged that Nawakwi suggested that the government was involved in the abduction of Petauke Central Independent lawmaker Emmanuel Jay Jay Banda.
When defence lawyer Chifumu Banda SC asked the witness on stand if he was aware that Jay Jay Banda mentioned Levy Ngoma [President Hakainde Hichilema political advisor], Clayson Hamasaka [State House chief Communications Specialist] as the people who abducted him?
Kandela responded in the negative.
The the witness also admitted that there was nothing wrong for madam Nawakwi to express her concerns on the missing of the lawmaker Jay Jay Banda and that there was also nothing wrong for her to remind Inspector General of Police Graphael Musamba to bring back the missing Member of Parliament.
The matter continues for trial today.
Credit @Mbili Reports
We seem to have oncompetent people manning and enforcing the law.
Fire them, there is no way you are appointed and trainned to a particular position and when your competence is tested, you fail. Who ordered the arrest? Why was the law not followed? How many times has the President said investigate before you arrest. But people fail to follow common sense?
I have three cases in the last three days that I can say with certainity that the state appears irresponisible. The IG needs to deal with such incompentencies, it reflects on him.