FIVE United Party for National Development (UPND) cadres charged with disorderly conduct have accused a Lusaka magistrate Lameck Ng’ambi of total bias in the manner he is handling their case and have since asked him to transfer the matter to another magistrate.
Aaron Pumulo Sililo, 35, Joseph Mazonda, 48, Lemmy Mukoba 29, Patrick Ntalasha,28, and Newton Chisuntu, 30, yesterday made an application in the chambers requesting Mr Ng’ambi to transfer their case to another magistrate because he has shown bias towards them from the time they commenced trial.
It is alleged in this matter that the five on June 6, 2012 in Lusaka jointly and acting together with other persons unknown conducted themselves in a manner likely to cause the breach of peace by blocking the public roads at the junction at Lagos and Addis Ababa drive.
But the cadres have stated in their affidavit in support of summons to transfer their case pursuant to section 78 of the criminal procedure code (CPC) 88 of the Laws of Zambia that they have no doubt in their minds that their defence would be a mere formality as the court has already decided to convict them.
They said that being cadres of one of the opposition political parties did not warrant their being abused by the court of law to which they were supposed to seek justice.
The cadres further said that they were unable to make meaningful representation because the court was full of biasness and as such they were humbly requesting Mr Ng’ambi to transfer their matter to another court.
They said that they were victims of political intolerance by the ruling party and they were arrested on tramped-up charges when they were demonstrating peacefully.
Mr Ng’ambi has since adjourned the matter to Monday next week to enable the state study the cadres’ application and respond to it before he could make his ruling.
He had on Tuesday last week revoked the cadres’ bail for flouting bail conditions.
This was after one of the defence lawyers, Martha Mushipe, informed the court that one of the accused persons, Sililo, was absent But Mr Ng’ambi said Sililo, Muzonda, Mukoba, Ntalasha and Chisuntu had been abusing the court process by delaying in opening their defence.
He ordered that the five be held in custody until they finished giving their defence.
You see now, you FIVE USEFUL I.D.O.T.S??? Ka HH kali peeee while you are busy arguing ignorantly with the law!!! You’ve effectively been left in the cold by the same politicians who were inciting you to engage in violet acts..! When will you learn??
Please! Please! Please fellow youths; DO NOT ACCEPT TO BE USED AS TOOLS OF VIOLENCE BY BITTER POLITICIANS!! In the end you just end up looking foo.lish, no one will support/ sympathize with you! I, as JUST ICE would be happy to see you rot in jail so that you serve as a perfect example to other disorganised youths!!
FIVE ‘USEFUL I.D.I.O.TS’, really!
@justice, ok you are the Judge, Jury and Executioner! We rest our case!
….Just read us our rights and throw the kangaroo court law book on us. Every dog has its day!
Okay, the law wont take its course on you my friend due to your MENTAL CONDITION! I, just ice will turn a blind eye to confused persons!!!!
The upnd youths were exercising their inalienable right to demonstrate peacefully. Dont employ partisan gimicks this govt lacks leadership.