GOLD SUSPECTS IN LUXURIOUS LODGE

 …Makebi Zulu Advocates is claiming that foreign nationals in the gold, US$5.6 million raging scandal have been moved from police cells and accommodated in some luxurious government lodge 

By GRACE CHAILE

THE State has covertly released foreign nationals arrested in the gold and cash scandal from police cells and has discreetly accommodated them in some luxurious government lodge in Kalundu after their attorneys demanded their release and better treatment, it has been disclosed.

And Makebi Zulu Advocates have reported the DEC and the Inspector General of Police to the office of the Public Protector and the Human Rights Commission (HRC) over the discriminatory treatment of Zambian suspects while according preferential treatment for foreign nationals in the same scandal.

The Kenneth Kaunda International Airport (KKIA) gold and US$5.6 million scandal has since sucked in some State House personnel, whom the law firm is threatening it shall name and shame should the State fail to withdraw the charges against Mr Shadreck Kasanda.   

Makebi Zulu Advocates, the law firm representing Mr Kasanda, one of the Zambians arrested in the now infamous gold and cash scandal has accused the State of engaging in discriminatory acts against its client and offering preferential treatment to foreign suspects.

The law firm is therefore demanding the release of all suspects in the gold and cash scandal on police bond or the DEC should cause the presentation of Mr Kasanda before court so that the lawyers could apply for bail.

In a letter to the Drug Enforcement Commission (DEC) director general Nason Banda and Police Inspector General of Graphael Musamba, Makebi Zulu Advocates said it had come to the attention of the law firm that foreign suspected who had been detained at Chelstone Police Station had been moved from the holding cells.

The firm said they were aware that the foreign suspects had been granted preferential treatment by removing them from Chelstone Police Station holding cells purporting to have been taken to the Police Command centre when in fact not. 

“It has come to our attention that the suspects in this matter who were detained at Chelstone Police Station were moved from holding cells and purportedly taken to Police Command Centre when in fact not. It has been made known to us that the suspects of foreign origin have been lodged in luxury at a known government lodge in Kalundu, a place not gazetted to hold suspects, despite having them charged and arrested,” Makebi Zulu Advocates said.

Four Zambians including Mr Kasanda and nine foreign nationals were arrested in connection with the gold and US$5.6 million cash, weapons found in a private Jet at KKIA last week. 

But Mr Kasanda’s lawyers are contending that it was unfair that Zambian suspects were unlawfully being held at police cells while their co-suspects foreign nationals were living in luxury at a government lodge. 

The legal advocates have therefore demanded for the immediate release of Mr Kasanda and other Zambian suspects on bond or appear before court to secure bail. 

“We thus demand that you immediately desist from this unlawful and discriminatory preferential treatment of non-Zambian suspects whilst the Zambians suspects languish in filthy police cells. We demand that you release all suspects on police bond or you should immediately present our client before court so we may apply for bail,” Makebi Zulu Advocates said.

But DEC Director General Nason Banda has claimed ignorance about the State’s clandestine transfer of the gold suspects from police cells to a luxurious government lodge.

Mr Banda however said the foreign suspects were in safe custody and would appear in court soon.

“I’m hearing that from you but what I can say is that they are in safe custody and will appear in court soon and you cannot keep all the witnesses in the same place because others might become state witnesses,” Mr Banda said.

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