By Makokwa Clara Muyendekwa
AFTER spending 14 days in custody, two sureties have been ordered to stay in custody for two more weeks as the accused person in the matter is still at large.
This is in a matter where Harriet Mukwato and Christine Munsaka of Choma’s Sha and Zambia Compounds respectively, are sureties to Accused person Peter Muchindu charged with two others for illegal possession protected animal namely a pangolin.
Charles Siazilo is the first accused and Griffen Hambayi is the third accused and all three are charged contrary to section 130 subsection 1 of the Zambia Wild Life Act no.14 of 2015 of the laws of Zambia.
However, ruling has on three occasions not been delivered due to the second accused person absconding court on 22 November, 29 November, 2 December 2021.
This prompted Senior Resident Magistrate Peter Mungala to send the sureties in custody until the December 23, 2021 for contempt of court after failing to bring an accused person to court on three occasions.
When the matter came up for return of warrant, the arresting officer told the court that he made efforts to find the accused but was not fruitful.
He said he was led to some farm but found that the area had no structures and was told the person was not in the area.
The officer requested for ample time to trace the accused.
Honorable Mungala adjourned the matter for mention to 6 January 2022 and 13 January 2022 for possible ruling while the sureties will remain remanded in custody.
