The Livingstone Magistrate Court
today revoked former Southern Province Minister Joseph Mulyata’s
police bond after establishing that he missed a court session without
notifying the court.
Mulyata, who is being charged with Abuse of Authority of Office,
today appeared before Magistrate Edsen Shanduba for a ruling to
determine why he did not appear in court on December14, 2007
for plea.
On the stated date, Mulyata was not before court but his defense
lawyers were present and informed the court that their client had
been given permission by the Anti-Corruption Commission Arresting
Officer Chibulu Musonda, to attend the National Constitution
Conference (NCC) sitting in Lusaka.
However, Mr Musonda was not present in court on that particular day to
confirm those claims and the matter was adjourned.
But today, Mr Musonda disputed claims that he had given Mulyata
permission to abscond from court proceedings.
He said Solomon Muzyamba, one of Mulyata’s defense lawyers had requested for Mulyata
to miss court on December 14 last year to enable him attend the NCC
but the request was rejected by his superiors.
Mr Musonda explained that Mulyata was an arrested person and could not
dictate which days were suitable for him to attend court sessions.
And in his ruling, Magistrate Shanduba established that Mulyata
deliberately stayed away from court even after his request to miss
court and attend the NCC was rejected.
Magistrate Shanduba then revoked Mulyata’s police bond and instead granted
him a K6 million bail with two working sureties.
Meanwhile, when trial commenced after the ruling was made, one of the witnesses for the prosecution Edward Ntinda, was sent out of the
courtroom for not being properly dressed.
Magistrate Shanduba said Mr Ntinda, as a Senior Road Inspector in the Road
Development Agency (RDA) was a high-ranking officer, who could not be
allowed to give evidence in court while dressed in casual clothes.
He ordered Mr Ntinda to go back home and dress appropriately while the
court stood down for 30 minutes to await his return but later
adjourned the case to tomorrow for continued trial.
Let Mulyata go to jail so that he will have no change ukufulukuta before his master chuchu mulukungu!!