Kasanda’s lawyers complain about the preferential treatment given to foreign Nationals.
LAWYERS representing businessman Shadrek Kasanda have protested against the superior treatment of foreign nationals involved in the unearthed gold scandal at Kenneth Kaunda International Airport last week Monday.
Makebi Zulu Advocates lamented that the nine foreign nationals are in a bed of roses, as law enforcement officers have accommodated them at a government inn in kalundu yet the Zambians who are co-charged with them are languishing in a shabby police cell.
According to a letter addressed to the Drug Enforcement Commission and the Attorney General the lawyers claim Kasanda, Mahogany Air proprietor Dr Jim Belemu, his employee Patrick Kawanu and ZamQlik solutions limited director Oswald Diangamo are being discriminated against by law enforcement officers.
The law firm demanded that Kasanda be released from detention forthwith or he should be arraigned before court so that he can secure his temporal release.
“It has come to our attention that the suspects in this matter who were detained at Chelstone police station were moved from Chelstone police station holding cells and purportedly taken to police command centre when in fact not,” the letter read.
“While our client and other Zambian suspects remain unlawfully in unbearable conditions in detention in police cells, It has been made know to us that the suspects of foreign origin have been lodged in luxury at a known Government lodge in Kalundu a place not Gazette to hold suspects, despite having them chatged and arrested.”
Makebi Zulu advocates directed the State and its agency to immediately stop treating Zambian suspects inferior to the foreign Nationals.
“We demand that you release all suspects on police bond or immediately present our client before court so we can apply for bail. By copy of this letter, this matter is accordringly reported to the office of the Public Protecfor and the Human Rights Commission,” said Makebi Zulu advocates.
The foreign Nationals are identified as Micheal Botros, Walid Abelsayed, Yasser Elshishtawy, Mounir Gerges Awad, Mohamed Gouda, Ali Abdulla Al-Safi, Noha Nadim all Egyptians, David De-la Cruz Castilla a Spanish national and Tennis De-mooiy a Dutch national.
By Mwaka Ndawa
Kalemba