MABONGA, MUNIR, PULE, AND NAWAKWI IN BAIL APPLICATION SETBACK
MABONGA, MUNIR, PULE, AND NAWAKWI IN BAIL APPLICATION SETBACK
AFTER more than a week in detention, Mfuwe Constituency PF member of parliament Maureen Mabonga and her Lumezi counterpart along with FDD president Edith Nawakwi and opposition preacher Danny Pule have had a bail application setback before the Lusaka Magistrates Court this morning.
Mabungo and Zulu are facing charges of sedition and proposing tribal war while Nawakwi is facing sedition and espionage over remarks they made in the wake of Petauke Central member of parliament Emmanuel JJ Banda’s brief disappearance over a week ago.
The group along with Brebner Changala was arraigned before court this morning.
Changala, a government critic was also arrested on charges of sedition and espionage last week and was kept in detention until the High Court ordered his release yesterday.
Lusaka Chief resident magistrate Davies Chibwili declined to hear bail applications from the group without their case records.
Lawyer Sakwiba Sikota was forced to make an application in regards to the accused fundamental rights without waiting for their cases records.
“There are rights which the accused are entitled to despite the docket not being here,” Sikota said.
Magistrate Chibwili said he could not entertain the application without the case records being presented before him.
“Am constrained to hear you any further, I don’t have the record am constrained to take down whatever application you are going to make,” said.
He guided Sikota and other lawyers to file the necessary applications for bail in court.
“I will prefer the application be filed because that will mark the commencement of the case,” said magistrate Chibwili.
Lawyers are currently waiting for State advocates from the National Prosecution Authority to bring the case records to Court for allocation so that the accused can take plea.
By Mwaka Ndawa
Kalemba