Saturday, October 5, 2024

State Applies To Have Espionage Case Tried In Camera

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The state has urged the Lusaka High Court to conduct an in-camera trial in the case involving Lusaka businessman Shadrick Kasanda and four others. The charges stem from their alleged involvement in a Gold Scam, with a staggering sum of USD 5.7 million at the center of the controversy.

Chief State Advocate Nkumbiza Mumba has formally requested that the proceedings be held behind closed doors, asserting that the case contains sensitive information that justifies a non-public trial. Mumba argued that the revelation of such information could not only jeopardize the state’s interests but also pose a risk to certain members of the public.

This plea was made before a distinguished panel of three High Court Judges: Situmbeko Chocho, Charles Zulu, and Ruth Chibbabuka.

However, the defense team, led by former Solicitor General Abraham Mwansa and Makebi Zulu, contested the Chief State Advocate’s request. They contended that, contrary to Mumba’s assertions, it is the accused who would suffer prejudice if the trial is conducted in camera.

In a further development, Chief State Advocate Nkumbiza Mumba has sought the Lusaka High Court’s approval to amend the charges against Shadrick Kasanda. The proposed amendment includes adding a case of fraudulent dealing in minerals to the businessman’s legal woes.

Meanwhile, Shadrick Kasanda and his co-accused, namely Lusaka businessman Jim Belemu, Kenneth Kaunda International Airport Police Commanding Officer Robson Moonga, State Security Officer Francis Mateyo, and Commercial Pilot Patrick Kawanu, entered pleas of not guilty to the espionage charges related to the alleged Gold Scam.

The trial commenced today following the consent by the Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP), Gilbert Phiri, to prosecute the case.

20 COMMENTS

  1. This is not a simple case. It has sacred cows involved. This is not espionage it’s a simple scam. Unless someone thinks we’re all gullible underfives there’s nothing here to request for a secretive trial.
    Ati we are fighting corruption.. yaba!

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    • We want an open trial. There are no sacred cows. We want all the facts to be laid out in the open. Let the chips fall where they may. Infact let this trial be broadcast live on free tv and YouTube

  2. It is not “in camera” but “on camera”. This is another one of HH’s insecurity cases. How are you even going to try the case if the other parties and witnesses to the case have already been freed to Egypt. This is the most brainless government Zambia has ever been cursed with.

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    • And those foreigners will come IN CAMERA as state witnesses gold bars theft/scam. Nothing makes sense in this big fish case.
      Some Zambians appear in courts abroad. Others are serving jail terms outside Zambia.Why did we send away other suspects of the same crime? This trial is already prejudiced. The other day the AG was applying to forfeit the plane Kawanu used to the State. How, when the case is inconclusive?

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    • LT means INSIDE the Camera. They plan to crawl inside the Camera and conduct the trial from there. But if we see them trying to crawl into the camera, we’ll have to pull them out by their ankles and insist that they conduct the trial ON Camera. No hiding inside the Camera should be tolerated by the Zambian people.

  3. The gold thieves will be tried IN-CAMERA, inside the camera, and not IN COURT. How special is this case? Is there such a thing? The sacred Namwala cow is afraid that Shad may spill the Namwanga beans in open court hence suggesting it be on camera. Tiyopa nji?

  4. So they want to protect some people because they are linked to State House? This government is proving to be a total disappointment everyday, defending their incompetence and duplicity is now becoming difficult and unattainable.

    • This American puppet HH has proved to be completely incompetent and shady. Corruption is still rampant in Zambia, just like under corrupt lazy Lungu. Nothing has changed. HH is all talk, no action. I’m not surprised because I never trusted him in the first place. All Zambians can hope for, is for him to lose in a landslide in 2026. Another term for HH will spell disaster for Zambia. Vote this guy out to save the country.

  5. When I told you that ugly hh and mutinta hichilema were involved in this matter you all said I was a hater. Here is evidence. Mutinta has been transferring 1 million usd every week to Panama.

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    • Kamyanga-Nyoko Kaizar Zulu: HH is more handsome that you are. Just look at your picture in the avatar. Even with your huge dark glasses, you cannot hide the fact that you look more ugly than Jabbar the Hutt, you Kalya-Nyoko. HH was not involved in this. HH comes from a culture of honesty. What he lacks is the backbone to prosecute criminals from a certain part of the country, and evidently from outside Zambia as well. US $5.7 million is nothing to a man who has 1 million cows (something I hate and do not agree with by the way). HH does not even bother to stay in State House or draw a salary from the government. Money is not his problem

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  6. First time in my life to hear a case involving a mere scam being heard in secret. We have had coup d’etat cases being heard publicly. People we are being rude by evil forces.

  7. What did I miss? LT you could add a few paragraphs about the background of the case for some of us who are clueless about the cass. How does a scam turn into an espionage case? I’m definitely clueless

  8. Who are the scammers? Is it the gold sellers?

    Who are the scammed? Is it those who had the K133million in $$?

    Who is the complainant? The scammed potential buyers or the government?

    If it is espionage, which country were they collecting intelligence data for?

    Was it Zambians only who were spying? Or the Pharaohs were party to it?

    How come, the whistleblower was flagged too?

    This case is not well defined. But some golden rich boy has to pay for opening his mouth too wide to even accuse statehouse of complicit.

    • Now I wonder where we are going to get a clean person to head our nation. This government is more corrupt than Chilubas MMD and to look clean it locks up anyone who calls them out.

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