Five United Party for National Development (UPND) carders have been acquitted by the Lusaka Magistrate Court for idle and disorderly conduct likely to cause breach of the peace.
In this case the accused persons Joseph Muzonda,48 ,Patrick Ntalasha,28,Newton Chisuta,30, Lemmy Mukoba,29,and Pumulo Sililo,35 who are alleged to have conducted a demonstration along Addis Ababa road in June 2012 by blocking the road with stones, tyres and also urinating on the road.
The carders who appeared before Magistrate Lameck Ng’ambi had pleaded not guilty to the charge of idle and disorderly conduct likely to cause breach of the peace contrary to section 78(F) of the Penal Code and Cap 87 of the Laws of Zambia.
The prosecution evidence alleged that the carders had blocked the road with tyres and stones and traffic could not move adding that when police officers went to the scene and tried to reason with them they did not stop but instead their behaviour become worse.
And in their defence, all the accused persons denied urinating and blocking the road saying they only went to demonstrate peacefully but were beaten by the police officers when the Lusaka Province Police Commissioner arrived at the scene.
In passing sentence, Magistrate Ng’ambi said the evidence by an independent witness in the matter, a reporter from Muvi television Bruce Mwale who testified that he did not see anyone urinating on the road and that the police officers only started beating the party carders after the police commissioner arrived at the scene was a clear indication that the officers were acting upon instructions.
He acquitted the accused persons in a fully packed court room after finding that the prosecution did not prove their case beyond any reasonable doubt.
And speaking to journalists after his acquittal, one of the party carders, Joseph Muzonda said he was happy with the outcome of the judgment as he together with his co accused were just implicated in the matter.
Hilarious! Well at least the Judge had a bit if entertainment. It must be hard keeping a straight face during such proceedings, but we are thankful to the Judge for making a balanced judgement. After all the urinating chaps may one day become leaders/representatives of our country, and we shall be reminded the extent of their patriotism! Well done chaps!
hahahahahah! abane PF! ati idling and disorderly conduct,,,,,,,,,, idling and disorderly conduct at the same time??,,,,,, no wonder kabimba loves his PF cadres, they can eat his sh!t
You are better off arresting the monkey in statehouse for defrauding the nation out a salary for doing nothing
joseph muzonda?? muzonda or musonda??,,,,anyway muzonda name sounds annoyed…. good lucky
Ndobo can you stop being fun! Muzonda sounds what? In any case I was also wondering how some one idle can do all those things they were accused of. Truly the one who is idle is the boss in state house.
God will bless you for wrongfull arrest . When UPND come to power if you have qualifications you will be remembered.You are heros .
They should not have been arrested in the first place. The police have to be professional but as one police officer said last week, they seem to work under extreme political pressure…..any way Aleisa for real!
I dont see Muhabi Lungu agreeing with this outcome.
…sp = cadres not carders.
Why not arrest and charge a loitering resident of state house for idling and disorderly
conduct?