Kampyongo, 6 others pleaded not guilty
By LUCY PHIRI
ONE of the three witnesses in a matter in which former Home Affairs Minister Stephen Kapyongo is jointly charged with six others for endangering the Safety of an Aircraft, Ignatius Shilangwa has testified in favour of the state contrary to others.
The trial commenced yesterday in the Chinsali Magistrate’s Court in MuchingaProvince in which Mr Kamyongo and all the six others pleaded not guilty to the offence.
Mr chilangwa, 45, a Lusaka based marketer, has since testified in favour of the state.
Mr Shilangwa told the court that on January 2, 2015 being part of the advance party for UPND, went to Shiwang’andu District at Kalalantekwe area around 12:00 hours to prepare for a meeting.
He said before long, a chopper landed which had on board the current Vice President Mutale Nalumango, current Minister of Technology and Science Felix Mutati, Permanent Secretary Special Duties Cabinet Office Patrick Mucheleka and former first lady Maureen Mwanawasa.
Mr Shilangwa narrated that shortly after the chopper had landed, a Land cruiser branded in Patriotic Front (PF) colours which was being driven by one of the accused Andrew Kampyongo, headed towards the chopper with intent to hit into the chopper, but the pilot who was still inside, sensed danger and quickly lifted the air craft.
He told the court that the driver of the land Cruiser then drove to Kalalantekweschool ground where he drove around at an excessive speed in order to disperse some UPND members that had gathered for a meeting.
The witness also told the court how he together with Ms Nalumnago and Ms Mwanawasa hid at a nearby house of a named teacher for safety.
He disclosed that the accused Andrew Kampyongo then went after them and demanded that the door to the house be opened or the owner of the house would be fired.
The court later heard that after a while, the accused went back to the school ground, thereby allowing the witness together with Ms Nalumango and Ms Mwanawasa to report the matter at Kalalantekwe police station.
“As we headed back to the chopper, I saw Shiwang’andu Member of Parliament within the same area,” he stated.
And the defence who could not continue with his cross examination, made an application that the matter be adjourned to enable both the prosecution and defence beach secure a device that was used in shooting a video on the material day.
And Senior Resident Magistrate Julius Malata has since adjourned the matter to February 8 and 9, 2022 for continuation of trial.
Kampyongo who is also Shiwangandu Member of Parliament and six others are jointly charged with the offence of endangering the Safety of an Aircraft contrary to section 8 (f) of the Safety Aviation Act Chapter 445 of the laws of Zambia.
Others jointly charged with Kampyongo in the matter include Andrew Kampyongo, James Sunge Mulenga, Caphus Mwaba Matumbo, Phillip Sinkala, Ignius Musonda and Augustine Kapolyongo.
The seven co-accused persons have pleaded not guilty to the offence and trial continues.
Meanwhile, a witness yesterday told the magistrates court that Amos Chanda did not block the Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC) officers who were searching his properties but heard him refer to them as `idiot’.
This was when two witnesses testified in the Lusaka magistrate court in the matter in which Mr Chanda, his wife Mable Nakaundi and his sister in law Ruth Nakaundi pleaded not guilty to obstruction and using insulting language against ACC officers.
This is the matter before Chief Resident magistrate Dominic Makalicha, who set January 19, 2022 for scene visit and cross examination of fourth witness.
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