Mkushi police arrest Mkushi MP for assault
POLICE in Mkushi on Friday have arrested Mkushi South Constituency PF member of parliament Davies Chisopa for malicious damage and assault.
According to Lusaka lawyer Anthony Kasolo, representing Sydney Chisanga, who has petitioned Chisopa’s election, the lawmaker was arrested at the High Court session.
Chisanga, the losing UPND candidate, had reported Chisopa for alleged assault and malicious damage to his vehicles ahead of the August 12 general elections.
“He fled from court because he has cases of assault and malicious damage to property; he ran away from the High Court sitting here for the petition. He damaged the cars for the candidate Mr Chisanga. He stepped out of court with a view of escaping but the kids (cadres) apprehended him,” said Kasolo.
Kasolo narrated that Chisopa who has been on the run following a docket that was opened at Mkushi Police appeared for the petition hearing but alert UPND cadres apprehended him and handed him to the police.
Chisopa has since been released on police bond pending court appearance.
And Chisanga said in an interview that he was not around when Chisopa was detained but however confirmed that he had been on the run following a police call out that was served regarding the offences that transpired during the August elections campaign.
“I was not around, was at the farm but yes I hear that he was arrested. Some time back during campaigns he was reported to the police for malicious damage and a call out was issued but he was on the run,” said Chisanga.
Efforts to get a comment from Chisopa failed as his mobile phone went unanswered.
Central Province Deputy Police Commissioner Donald Mwandila said Chisopa would appear in court on September 29.
He said Chisopa was released on police bond in line with the new dawn government’s trend of not keeping suspects in detention unnecessarily long.
“Yes, he was arrested and given bond, you know you are in the new dawn government, so we don’t want to be arresting people unnecessarily, delaying people in the cells for more than 48 hours, so we are just going by what is the trend now. We want to be following the law. The officers did a good job, I am in support of that. After they arrested him they did their job and knew that this is a bondable offence and made sure he is to appear in court and released him on bond,” said Mwandila.
Credit: The Mast