SEIZED PLANE OWNERS DEMAND FOR ITS RELEASE 

By PRINCE MABUMBA

THE Drug Enforcement Commission (DEC) has been asked to release Airline King B 190 by the Yango Airline Services who are the owners.

In a purported letter by MYM Legal Practitioner said, the airline was not involved in the gold scandal but it was brought in the country as part of the company’s plan to boost its taxi and courier business locally.

The lawyers said, at the time of seizure, the jet was parked on the run way with three staff on board.

They said the jet which was brought in Zambian on March 15, 2023, was scheduled to be officially launched on September 1, 2023 and would be flying on selected routes within Zambia at K350 for shorter distances and K500 on longer routes per person.

The lawyers said it was surprising that DEC officers who found the engine of the jet running as part of the routine maintenance confiscated the keys from the pilot and they did not leave any seizure form. 

 They say efforts to get back the keys proved futile as DEC officers have insisted that since the airlines was parked next to the aircraft where illegal contraband was found, they are presumed to know of the illegalities involved.

The lawyers said their client does not have any knowledge of activities in other planes as it is outside the purview of the business scope, therefore, the actions by the officers are detrimental to the company’s efforts to operate its business efficiently to the benefit of Zambians.

“By reason of the foregoing, we have been duly and unequivocally instructed to demand for the immediate release of the keys and control of the jet to our client,” they said. 

“In the event that you fail to comply within 24 hours from time of receipt of this letter, we shall have no option but to subject your institution to the rigmarole of court process whose outcome with consequential costs, damages are in your peculiar knowledge,” part of the letter said.

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