Simutambo Sakala, a Senior Court Clerk, has confirmed that the case record of former Presidential Press Aide Amos Chanda went missing from the Lusaka Magistrate Court’s Registry between May 2020 and October 2022.
During her testimony before Lusaka Resident Magistrate Irene Wishimanga, Ms. Sakala stated that both Amos Chanda’s file and the file of former Executive Director of Road Transport Agency (RTSA), Zindaba Soko, have been lost and remain untraceable.
Ms. Sakala’s testimony was given in relation to a case where Amos Chanda is facing charges of theft and destroying court evidence.
According to the allegations, between May 12, 2020, and October 1, 2022, Amos Chanda, in collaboration with unidentified individuals, stole a case record that belonged to the Republic of Zambia.
The missing case record pertains to a previous matter where Amos Chanda was charged with corruption alongside Lusaka businessman Walid El Nahas and former Road Transport and Safety Agency Chief Executive Officer Zindaba Soko.
The Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP) later entered a Nolle Prosequi in the case, indicating a decision not to pursue further prosecution.
The revelation of the lost case record raises concerns about the management and security of important legal documents within the Lusaka Magistrate Court’s Registry.