DO PROPER INVESTIGATIONS, POLICE PRODDED

Tue, 05 Sep 2017 13:55:39 +0000

By Justina Mulenga

POLICE should step up investigations of cases taken to court to avoid acquittals or forcing the Director of Public Prosecutions to issue nolle prosequi frequently, 3rd Liberation Movement president, Enoch Roosevelt Tonga has charged.

Mr Tonga said the issuance of nolles would be avoided if police carried out thorough investigations in all cases that were before courts of law.

He was commenting on the DPP entering a nolle prosequi in a matter in which UPND leader Hakainde Hichilema’s aides were facing a charge of obstructing police officers in the course of their duty.

This was in a matter in which Hichilema’s political advisor William Banda, the party president’s deputy secretary Brian Mwiinga and eight others were accused of obstructing police officers who went to arrest their leader on April 10, 2017.

When the matter came up for continuation of trial, a state prosecutor informed Magistrate Faidess Hamaundu that he was in receipt of a nolle prosequi from the DPP to discontinue the proceedings against the 10 accused persons.

Magistrate Hamaundu discharged the accused persons with immediate effect.

The court has however advised Mr Hichilema’s aides to take legal action should the police officers fail to return their personal property which was seized during their arrest.

Among the items seized was a camera and phones.