GBM case fails to take off again

Wed, 01 Mar 2017 09:40:06 +0000

By NATION REPORTER

THE case in which UPND vice-president for administration Geoffrey Bwalya Mwamba (GBM) is facing three counts of conduct likely to cause breach of peace was adjourned to April 10 because of the death of his uncle.

Magistrate Malota Phiri allowed the application for an adjournment to allow Mr Mwamba to attend the funeral of his uncle and the matter will now come up on April 10.

And Magistrate Phiri has urged the State to reduce on the number of police officers within court premises because people are getting intimidated by their presence.

He said people were getting intimidated by the heavy police presence within the court premises and so it was only fair that their number was reduced.

Magistrate Phiri said his concern about heavy police presence at the court premises was not about Mr Mwamba’s case, but other court cases at the magistrate court as well.

“Issues of heavy police presences are still a concern. I can still see heavy police presence outside. I think the State should tone down on the number of police presence at the courts because people get intimidated by heavy police presence within the court premises.

“This issue of heavy police presence at the courts is not only about this case of Mwamba, but even other court cases at the magistrates court,” Mr Phiri said.

GBM’s  lawyer, Mr Mulilo Kabesha from Kabesha and Company, said his client was not in court because he has a bereavement in the family following the death of his uncle and therefore was asking for an adjournment of the matter to April 10.

This is a case in which GBM is facing three criminal counts of conduct likely to cause breach of peace contrary to the laws of Zambia.

In count one, Mwamba in company of other unknown people, is accused of assaulting Mr Moses Katongo on May 19 last year.

In count two, Mwamba on the same day is accused of having damaged four cases of soft drinks, 10 rolls of tissue paper and two boxes of macaroni all together valued at K490, the property of Dickson Sikazwe.

In the last count, Mwamba on the same day is alleged to have assaulted Francis Musonda.

On December 1, 2016, Kunda Chitotela, a 42 year old trader of Chisokone market in Kitwe, told Magistrate Phiri that he saw Mwamba slapping Musonda, a trader at the same market.