PETAUKE POLICE SUMMON PF LUSANGAZI CANDIDATE AGAIN
…as PF vice president Hon. Given Lubinda questions why the Police are in a hurry to prosecute the matter involving the PF candidate and grown cold feet regarding an attempt on his life by UPND cadres.
Petauke … Tuesday, October 19,2021 [Smart Eagles]
POLICE in Petauke earlier today summoned PF Lusangazi council chairperson candidate Patrick Banda to appear before court to take plea in a matter he is charged with uttering a false document.
Mr. Banda was on Friday last week detained and released on police bond which is due on Friday 22 , October, 2021.
But earlier today, Petauke criminal investigations officer, a Mr. Banda phoned the PF candidate asking him to report to the Police so that he can be taken to court.
PF vice president Hon. Given Lubinda together with MCC Hon.Raphael Nakachinda accompanied Mr. Banda and met with the division criminal investigations officer Mr.Antonio Sapaulu.
During the meeting Hon. Lubinda said there was no way the police can revoke the police bond and ask the PF candidate to appear before the court without any legal representation.
He said the move amounts to intimidation and an infringement on the constitutional rights of Mr. Patrick Banda.
” The police bond expires this Friday and there is no way you can call our candidate at short notice and ask him to appear when the agreement was that he comes here on Friday. It takes almost a full day for a lawyer to come from Lusaka.He is not resisting to appear before the court, you told him Friday and he has put in place things that should be done so that his lawyers will be here and be escorted to court, you can’t adjust the bond to suit your circumstances against his,” Hon. Lubinda said.
” You are ambushing the guy what do you want him to say in the court because he will go there and say to the court that sorry my retain date is Friday and you will be wasting courts time and his time because he has an election to win,” he said.
And in response the officers handling the matter said the police have the discretion to revoke the police bond at any time.
They denied being used by the UPND for political expediency.
” We can cancel the bond or readjust it because we we have that discretion, we are not that cheap that we can be used to settle political scores. We are professionals and we handle matters in a professional manner,” he said.
Meanwhile, PF candidate Patrick Banda said he received information that the UPND candidate Fred Banda had a meeting with officers from Petauke police with view to arrest him and disturb his campaigns.
” After was given a bond you police officers were called and you had a meeting with the UPND candidate so that am detained or made to appear before the court, so I am not surprised that am here because this was a clear Instruction from the UPND because they want to sit on my rights,” Mr. Banda said.
” If you officers want to be used by UPND then it is unfortunate because am just a suspect and I am innocent until proven guilty by the courts.Let the UPND just campaign if they want win an election because you police officers are not voters but the people in Lusangazi,,” he said.
