DEC FAILS TO PRESENT WITNESSES IN THE AMOS CHANDA CASE.
Lusaka-November 23,2022
By Rejoice Phiri
The Drug Enforcement Commission (DEC) has failed to present the case in which they’ve accused Amos Chanda of destroying a court record because they don’t have witnesses yet and that the specific prosecutor assigned the matter was busy in the High Court.
State prosecutor L. Kandele asked the court to adjourn the matter to January 30 2023 for the DEC to prepare their case.
But defence lawyer Timmy Munalula argued that he wanted to object to the application for adjournment because DEC was trying to use the absence of one prosecutor as a cover, yet the real reason was that they have no witnesses and therefore not ready to prosecute the case against Mr Chanda.
Magistrate Irene Washimanga granted the application and noted that since this was the first time DEC was failing to present the case, she would give them the benefit of the doubt and hoped that they would be ready on 30 January 2022.
DEC arrested Amos Chanda on 19 October 2022 and detained him for six days on a charge for which police bond is available.
But when his lawyers approached the High Court for bail, DEC hurriedly presented the accused before the magistrates Court on October 26 and he was granted bail.
Mr Chanda declined to comment on the adjournment referring all queries to lawyers who also said they will only speak in court.