BENCH WARRANT AGAINST HON CHILANGWA STILL IN FORCE

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BENCH WARRANT AGAINST HON CHILANGWA STILL IN FORCE
…. As Kawambwa Police Station Officer in Charge informs the Kawambwa Subordinate Court that the accused person has gone into hiding.
Kawambwa… Friday May 26, 2023 (SMART EAGLES)
The Kawambwa Subordinate Court has ruled that the bench warrant issued on Wednesday against Kawambwa Central Member of Parliament Hon. Nickson Chilangwa remains in force.


Sitting in the Kawambwa Subordinate Court this morning, Magistrate Martin Namushi has since adjourned the court proceedings to Monday May 29th, 2023.


This was after the State made two applications with the first one that the bench warrant remains in force and returnable upon his arrest.
The second application was that the court commences defense for the accused persons who were present before the court.
However, defense lawyer Boniface Chiwala argued that the court cannot proceed with defense while one accused person was not before the court saying it would be deemed as unfair trial.


Counsel Chiwala cited the appeal case of Lipepo versus the people of 2013 saying the Supreme Court guided on such a scenario as faced now before the Kawambwa Subordinate Court.


After Counsel Chiwala’s submission before the court, the State asked for more time to study the matter and applied that the matter be adjourned to Monday May 29th, 2023 to respond to the defense’s submission.


Magistrate Namushi granted the State’s request to adjourn the matter to Monday for possible commencement of trial.
Earlier, Kawambwa Police Station Officer in Charge James Kasanda requested for more time to Monday for the police to bring Hon Chilangwa to court.


He recalled that on Wednesday 24th May, 2023, he received a warrant of arrest giving instructions to arrest Hon Chilangwa.
He said acting on the report, all the stations in the country were alerted and given instructions accordingly.
He told the fully packed court that officers went on the ground and up to now the person named in the warrant is hiding and they continue looking for him.


On Wednesday May 24th, 2023, the court issued a bench warrant against the Kawambwa Central lawmaker for allegedly absconding court proceedings.


The defense lawyer on Monday and Wednesday, filed affidavits before the court saying the accused person was appearing before the Lusaka High Court hence he could not make it to appear before the Kawambwa Subordinate Court.


This is in a case in which Pambashe Member of Parliament Hon Ronald Kaoma Chitotela, Hon Chilangwa, Kawambwa Mayor Chifumbe Kalumba, Kunda Chitotela, Chabu Chitotela, Davy Kaniki and Charity Chibwe Musanto have been charged with one count of arson, threatening violence, malicious damage to property and four counts of assault.


It is alleged that on August 12, 2021, the two lawmakers and five others while acting together assaulted four UPND members, damaged the windscreen of the Mahindra Bolero motor vehicle valued at K400, 000 before allegedly setting it ablaze and further threatened violence.

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