NATIONAL Democratic Congress president Chishimba Kambwili was yesterday rushed to UTH after falling ill from high blood pressure and a severe headache.
Meanwhile, principal resident magistrate David Simusamba has threatened to have Kambwili locked up in cells if he does not avail himself before court on Tuesday, March 10.
His nephew Charles Kabwita, who was among those that took Kambwili to the hospital, confirmed that the opposition leader started feeling bad on Wednesday afternoon and the condition worsened later at night.
Kabwita said because Kambwili had a sleepless night owing to the high blood pressure, he was taken to UTH around 02:00 hours were he has been receiving treatment.
“He started complaining of severe headache in the afternoon on Wednesday but later at night his BP rose as well. He could not sleep well at night. He is however recovering well after receiving treatment at UTH. The nation should not panic or worry as the Lord has answered our prayers and he is in the road to recovery,” said Kabwita.
His hospitalization affected his attendance of court proceedings in a matter he has facing forgery, uttering a false document and giving false information to a public officer, in relation to his company Mwamona engineering and technical services limited.
When the matter came up for defense, Kambwili’s new lawyer David Banda of Messrs MAK Partners, said the former was admitted at University Teaching Hospital and that his sureties were present before court and produced a letter from the hospital indicating that his client was sick.
But deputy chief state advocate Margaret Chintundu said the State was at pains that Kambwili was admitted in the morning on a day he was scheduled to open defence.
“The state is at pains, we find it hard that the accused has been admitted today, if he is really admitted we understand that the accused is unwell we would have been given this letter in the morning we have just seen the letter now and it’s difficult for me to understand this illness comorbidities,” Chitundu said.
A letter signed by Dr Alinani Silwamba, a registrar at Unit 5 Department of Internal Medicine reads: “Hon Kambwili is a known patient to the UTH being managed for multiple comorbidities, he was admitted on 5th March with acute complications of the condition requiring stabilisation in the hospital. He remains under observation at UTH.”
But magistrate Simusamba said Kambwili had a record of absconding court for such reasons.
“Your client has a history of such conduct before court. However, I will give him a last benefit of doubt and adjourn the matter to Tuesday. If he will not be in attendance for whatever reason on Tuesday, I will put him on warrant, make sure he’s before court,” ordered magistrate Simusamba.