NO BAIL FOR JAILED COUPLE WHICH OWNED 51 HOUSES…..PENDING APPEAL
THE Economic and Financial Crimes Court has declined to admit to bail the previous owners of the infamous 51 houses in Lusaka’s Chalala area.
The corrupt couple, Charles Loyana and Susan Sinkala had applied for bail pending appeal to the High Court against their three-year jail term imposed on them by the court for possessing 51 houses that were disproportionate to their income.
Loyana and Sinkala who served as public workers in the ministry of finance and national planning and ministry of works and supply wanted the Court to grant them temporal freedom on reasons that they are likely to serve part of the sentence by the time their appeal is heard.
In their 15 grounds of appeal the duo said magistrate Hamaundu erred in law and fact when she convicted them of possessing and concealing property suspected to be proceeds of crime when the facts of the evidence on record did not meet the ingredients and principles of the subject offence.
Ruling on the application magistrate Hamaunda said the Judiciary has established a fast track court to deal with financial crimes which is the Economic and Financial Crimes Crimes Court at the High Court to deal with matters of appeal within a record time.
She said she managed to determine the matter within a year and three months on jailed the couple last month despite receiving evidence from 16 State witnesses and seven defense witnesses.
“I therefore find that three years meted out on the convicts is long enough to fall under the exceptional circumstances of serving part of the sentence application for bail pending appeal is denied,” said magistrate Hamaundu
She granted the couple leave to appeal.
Kalemba.
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