COURT WANTS UPDATE ON KAIZAR WHEREABOUTS
Lusaka Magistrates Court wants a police officer to give an update on the whereabouts of fugitive former State House political advisor Kaizar Zulu, who is currently on bench warrant.
This is in one of the court cases in which Zulu is charged with the offence of conversion not amounting to theft involving a Toyota Land Cruiser VX worth K955,000 assigned to him while he served at State House.
He denied the charge before Lusaka magistrate Mutinta Mwenya sometime towards the end of 2022, but later stopped attending court and has since been on the run for almost a year.
His two sureties, lawmakers Munir Zulu and Mulenga Fube, were early this year ordered to forfeit K50,000 each which they signed up for in an event the accused stops attending court.
Arrest Munir and Fube. This is what the law says NOT me. So, why is the judiciary dilly-dallying?
True thats the law but read the law further as it also gives the option to pay a fine and that is fine that Muri and Fube paid (or at least Mr. Edgar Lungu paid on their behalf) that part of the court process was settled.
The cracks of the matter now is the actual crime that Kaizer is being accused of. Theft of motor vehicle.
In my naive opinion and maybe guided by legal scholars, is that the courts seems to be dragging its feet. Kaizer has and was given an opportunity to set forth his defence. And instead ran away. An act of a coward. And the courts can sentence him in absentia. Period.
We waffle about of straight forward issues as we read yesterday of a serial breach of the cyber criminal act. Where is the Prosecution in this matter? Is the Police being derelect of their duty? The courts in this matter are acting in a similar manner. Sentence him in absentia. When he returns, he will be arrested and locked up for the crime. He can not appeal (as time may have lasped). Then also charge him for running away and the Passport issue as well and cancel the document so its not valid. If he presents it at any airport he will have been on the Interpol watch list. Justice should not be the preseve of a certain grouping.