Sat, 12 Jan 2013 14:24:05 +0000

Three out of the 17 detainees that were incarcerated for tearing the draft constitution were still detained at Kaoma Prison even after meeting the bail conditions two months ago.

The detainees have protested their continued detention and have demanded their release.

The three have remained in custody while the rest were released in November last year. The detainees have protested their continued detention and have demanded for their release.

National Chairperson for the Barotse Freedom Movement Nyambe Namushi confirmed that the sureties had signed the documents before the 17th of November but wondered why it had taken the courts this long to release the detainees.

Mr Namushi said the three were Wakunguma Mulope, Liseli Lungowe and a young man Maketo Sihanda

He said the prosecution team held on to their documents without giving any reasons as to why the magistrate could not be given the papers to sign for their release.

The BFM chairperson noted that the three were supposed to be out of custody at the same time their friends were released and blamed the delay on the prosecutors.

“We are wondering why these people have not yet been released because all the 17 of them had their papers submitted for signing at the same time in November. But the prosecution team held on to the papers for the three for no reason.

“All of them met bail conditions but we don’t know when the others would be released. Maketo is a young boy but they could not release him and we don’t know what is happening for them to take the papers to the magistrate to be signed.

“It is indeed a sad situation but we plea with the courts to consider the situation of the three detainees. This was a deliberate move and we don’t understand what they are trying to establish,” Namushi said.

He expressed sadness that the prosecution team did not seem to be concerned with the welfare of the detainees.

The other detainees were released after magistrate Exnorbit Zulu signed their bail last year and all the 17 are expected to appear in court on 14th January 2013 for mention and trial would commence on February 13th 2013.

The 17 were detained after they tore copies of the draft constitution for the republic of Zambia saying they were not going to be part of the process since Barotseland was about to secede from the rest of Zambia.

The 17 detainees while in custody were tortured by the security wings a move which was condemned by the Human Rights Commission.