EFCC orders Lusambo to open his defense today without fail
FORMER Lusaka Province Minister Bowman Lusambo and his wife Nancy Manase have engaged the Law firm of former Attorney General Likando Kalaluka, to guide them through their defense, a week after the couple part ways with Makebi Zulu Advocates.
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The firm had applied to have Lusambo’s case adjourned, so that it can acquaint itself with the case but, the Economic and Financial Crimes Court directed that Lusambo accounts for his wealth today.
Submitting before magistrate Faidess Hamaundu, Kimberly Chota Kaumba from Messrs Likando Kalaluka, said the firm filed in a notice to adjourn the matter Pursuant to Section 202 of the Criminal Procedure Code (CPC) as read together with the EFCC Rules Section in 10.
“We were only retained yesterday and seeing that the matter is coming up for defence, we need proper instructions from our clients as well as for the interest of Justice, we would like to represent our client sufficiently and efficiently. We ask for time to prepare for our defence.”Kamba said.
In response ACC prosecutor Chawezi Nalwenga said, the prosecution was served with a notice of intention to adjourn the case in the morning:
She said Rule 10 of the ECFC Rules of 2024 clothes the court with the discretion to grant an adjournment only in exceptional compelling circumstances.
“The accused persons have not exhibited special circumstances to warrant the court to grant the adjournment. We note the notice of appointment of the defence however we also wish to highlight the fact that at the last sitting, this court had ordered that the accused persons’ lawyers, Makebi Zulu Advocates file a notice of withdraw which we note was not filed nor served on the State,” said Nalwenga.
Kaumba asked for two days in which to prepare the couple for defense.
“Defence is the most crucial aspect of the case. It would only be fair that counsel seized with conduct of this matter familiarizes with it because, it would be impossible to prepare 15 witnesses if the court does not grant us this adjournment. It is thereby our prayer that the adjournment be granted,” said Kaumba.
Magistrate Hamaundu said the defense was eating into its own time.
“The rules say that the court can set a time frame for defence. Are you aware when this matter started? I warned the parties that they have limited time,” said magistrate Hamaundu.
“I’ll only grant your adjournment to tomorrow(today) because you have to start with the accused.”
Lusambo is facing 10 corruption-related charges before the Economic and Financial Crimes Court; among them one count of corrupt acquisition of public property, five counts of possessing property suspected to be proceeds of crime, three counts of tax evasion and one count of conspiracy to defraud.
He is jointly charged with his wife Nancy for possessing four houses in Silverest Gardens, Chongwe which were suspected to be procceds of crime.
The case comes up on August 28.
By Mwaka Ndawa
Kalemba August 28, 2024.
Time to account ba bulldozer has come. I wish major kachingwe could see how the so called bulldozer is panicking as he is at the edge. It can either be jail or acquittal. I cant imagine how Lusambo has been humbled. This man treated major kachingwe badly.
Kachingwe was a thief and scoundrel