By LUCY PHIRI
THE 11 suspects in the gold and US$5.6 million scandal who include six Zambians and five Egyptians have demanded that the State should furnish them with reasons why they they have been denied bail
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And Lusaka chief resident magistrate Davies Chibwili has ruled that the Director of Public Prosecution (DPP) was within his power to file a certificate of no bail to the 11 Gold scandal suspects at Kenneth Kaunda International Airport (KKIA).
The lawyers representing the accused submitted that reasons be clearly stated as to how granting them bail would jeopardize the safety of the nation.
Lawyer representing Belemu, Ms Martha Mushimpe yesterday argued that the state was infringing on the constitution right of her client who was a Zambian with fixed abode.
Ms. Mushimpe has therefore demanded the reasons from the state for bail denial.
The court heaed the submissions and has set August 30, 2023 for ruling.
It is alleged that all the accused persons on August 13, 2023 at Kenneth Kaunda International Airport, in the Chongwe District, jointly and whilst acting together, did enter a protected place, namely Kenneth Kaunda International Airport for purposes that were prejudicial to the safety and interest of the Republic of Zambia.
In this matter, all the 11 accused persons are facing the charge of Espionage contrary to section 3 (a) of the State Security Act Chapter 111 of 2012 of the Laws of Zambia.
The accused include the chief executive officer of Mahogany air Jim Belemu, Managing Director – ZamQlik Solutions Limited and Chairperson of the Bene Mukuni Traditional Ceremony Organising Committee -Mulungu Oswald Diangamo and Lusaka Businessman and Goldsmith Shadreck Alex Kapasa.
Others include; Walid Refaat Fahmi Botros a general manager, Mounir Shaker Gerges Award a factory owner, Mohamed Gooda a pension Colonel, Yasser Mokhtar Abdelghafor, health and safety environment officer, Michael Adel Micheal Batros an accountable business man, Patrick Kwangu a business man, and Robinson Monga a police officer. In his ruling yesterday, Magistrate Chibwili ruled that
The application put by state to deny bail for the accused persons was properly put as alleged by the defense team in their submissions that it wasn’t properly put
“According to Section 123 the DPP was within his power to deny the accused bail as there was nothing irregular,” Ruled.
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