By CHARLES MUSONDA
FORMER Roan member of Parliament yesterday again failed to open his defence in a matter he has been found with a case to answer for calling outgoing President Edgar Lungu a dog from Chawama.
When the case came up for commencement of defence before High Court Judge Lameck Mwale, who sits as Chief Resident Magistrate in the matter, Kambwili’s lawyers Keith Mweemba and Gilbert Phiri told the court that they were not ready to proceed.
Mr. Mweemba said the defence had had no time to conduct a pre-trial briefing with their client and that there was a communication breakdown.
He apologised to the court for their absence at the last sitting as they were not aware of the date.
He said equally they had and still have no instructions from Kambwili on how to proceed in the matter.
And Mr. Phiri adopted in total Mr. Mweemba’s submissions.
He also endorsed his colleague’s statement that they have unresolved issues of instructions with their client.
After the lawyers’ submissions, Kambwili apologised to the court for missing the last sitting.
He said he just read in the media that the case had come up at the previous sitting.
Kambwili also told Mr. Justice Mwale that he had Covid-19 and that he will need two weeks to resolve issues with the lawyers before they can proceed.
At that point public prosecutor Ms. Bauleni objected to the defence’s application for an adjournment on grounds that at the last sitting Kambwili’s surety told the court that he had malaria and not Covid- 19.
Ms. Bauleni said the accused person was found with a case to answer in April this year and that there was sufficient time for the lawyers to get instructions.
In his ruling Mr. Justice Mwale said in the interest of justice and considering that the issue of insufficient instructions had just been brought up yesterday, he gave Kambwili a benefit of doubt and an opportunity to furnish his lawyers with instructions.
The case was adjourned to September 15, 2021.
Author
