High Court release Changala unconditionally
High Court release Changala unconditionally
ESPIONAGE accused Brebner Changala has been released on bail pending trial by the Lusaka High Court after spending a week in detention.
Changala was apprehended on May 28 by the police and was subsequently charged with seditious practices and espionage.
This was in relation to the utterances he made over the disappearance of Petauke Central member of Parliament Emmanuel Jay Banda last weekend.
Changala had applied for bail pending trial before the High Court on reasons that the charges he was slapped with are bondable and that the police had denied him police bond without taking him to court within 48 hours.
The Civil rights activist in his affidavit in support for bail pending trial asked the Court to admit him to bail on reasons that he was not a flight risk and was capable of raising sureties.
Ruling on the application this afternoon judge Geoffrey Mulenga said the prolonged detention of Changala by the police without arraigning him before Court within two days after his arrest, was unconstitutional.
Judge Mulenga unconditionally released Changala in his own recognisance.
Changala is scheduled to appear before Court for plea tomorrow together with his colleagues FDD leader Edith Nawakwi, Lumezi member of parliament Munir Zulu and his Mfuwe counterpart Maureen Mabonga.
By Mwaka Ndawa
Kalemba