Court finds Kasoma with case to answer

Tue, 07 Mar 2017 12:45:30 +0000

By Charles Musonda

THE Lusaka Magistrates’ Court has found Komboni Radio Limited proprietor Lesa Kasoma with a case to answer and she has benn put on her defence for allegedly assaulting a police officer on duty.

Magistrate Felix Kaoma yesterday found Kasoma with a case to answer in a matter she is charged with assaulting a police officer.

“The prosecution have provided sufficient evidence to warrant putting the accused on her defence and I accordingly put her on her defence,” Mr. Kaoma said.

Kasoma’s lawyer Paul Katupisha informed the court that his client would defend herself on oath and applied for an adjournment to March 22 and 24, to enable her prepare her defence.

It is alleged that Kasoma on October 5 last year bit a police officer Simon Chisanga of Makeni police station.

The officer was deployed to man Komboni Radio station situated in Lusaka’s Kamwala area after it was shut by the government.

Kasoma allegedly went to the station to check on one of her security guards and asked the officers where her employee was.

It was alleged that Kasoma was seen recording the conversation she had with the officers and that when challenged, Kasoma jumped into her vehicle and drove off.

After some time Kasoma returned and pretended that she was not the one who had gone to the station earlier.

But Constable Chisanga confronted and asked her why she took a video of the conversation she had with the officers.

In the argument that ensued, Kasoma allegedly bit Constable Chisanga on the right finger when he tried to apprehend her.

Other police officers apprehended Kasoma and took her to Kabwata police station where she was formally arrested and charged for assault.

Meanwhile, a police officer has told Magistrate Thandose Chabala that his neighbour’s son battered him after he thwarted an attempt by the latter and his accomplices to rob a shop in the neighbourhood.

Joseph Maponesi, 45, a police officer of Makeni Villa, said on December 17, 2016 he knocked off from work around 19:00 hours after which he proceeded home.

Mr. Maponesi said after 20 minutes his wife woke him up to check on the noise emanating from the neighbour’s shop where the accused person John Mumba and his accomplices were about to break into.

“I asked him why he was doing that but he told me that they had enough of me because each time he and his friends wanted to steal I stopped them. I then pepper sprayed him and he ran away…he came back with a plank and hit me in the face, on the mouth, on the leg and on the forehead…” he said.