Court grants Findlay pass to go abroad for medical treatment
THE Lusaka Magistrate Court has allowed Lusaka business executive, Harry Findlay to travel out of the country to seek medical attention.
Principal Resident Magistrate, Sylvia Munyinya said Findlay, as an accused person is entitled and has a right to seek medical attention.
Magistrate Munyinya further ruled that the fact that the reason of the passport is temporal, the ground advanced by the state of delaying the matter cannot override the accused’s right to seek medical attention.
“For the foregoing, I order that the passport P6 which is in the custody of the clerk of court be released to the accused and that the clerk of court retains a certified copy,” she said.
The court said Findlay is obligated to surrender the said passport to the clerk of court on his return.
Last week, Findlay had applied through his lawyer to grant him permission to seek medical attention abroad.
His lawyer, Milner Katolo informed the court that his client’s kidney was collapsing.
Katolo had asked the court to allow them make a viva voce application on account of the emergent situation of the accused’s health.
In this matter, Findlay is facing two counts of holding more than one passport and being in possession of endorsements of forged immigration stamps.
It is alleged in count one, that Findlay on October 3, 2022, in Lusaka, did acquire a Zambian passport number ZP021382, purporting to have lost a Zambian passport number ZP013259, contrary to the fact.
In the second count, it is alleged that on the same date, Findlay was found in possession of endorsements of forged immigration stamps for Mwami immigration border control in his passport number ZP032178, purporting that it was officially endorsed when in fact not.
The court has since adjourned the matter to February 14, 2025 for mention and fixing of trial dates.
By Lucy Phiri
Kalemba February 4, 2025