Lawyer Keith Mweemba has pleaded not guilty to charges of corruption with a public officer.
Mweemba, 33, of Chilenje South Township told Lusaka resident magistrate Joshua Banda yesterday that although he understood the charge against him, he was not guilty.
Mweemba is facing one count of corrupt practices with a public officer contrary to section 19 (2) as read together with section 41 of the Anti Corruption Commission Act number 3 of 2012.
It is alleged that Mweemba on dates unknown but between January 2, 2013 and February 13, 2013 in Lusaka, corruptly promised to give gratification to Monica Mwansa, an assistant senior State Advocate at the national prosecutions authority, as an inducement.
The gratification was for Ms Mwansa to act favourably by supporting the appeal in the case of Jorge Padilla and Jacqueline Pedraza vs the people at the High Court for which Mweemba is the advocate representing the pair.
Earlier after magistrate Banda allocated Mweemba’s case before a new magistrate scheduled to come from Northern Province, one of Mweemba’s defence lawyers Marshal Muchende applied for the court to review its allocation.
But magistrate Banda said the allocation stood though he invited the defence to make an application if at all they had any.
At this juncture, magistrate Banda asked Mweemba for his details after which he read out the charge to Mweemba.
After he took plea denying the offence, Mr Muchende applied for bail for his client saying the offence he was facing was not only bailable but Mweemba was also of fixed abode.
Mr Muchende said Mweemba was ready to meet bail conditions and would raise sureties if any required.
ACC legal and prosecution officer Mateyo Kamanga who is co-prosecuting the matter with Maqueen Zaza said the State had no objections as long as Mweemba meets the bail conditions.
Magistrate Banda granted Mweemba a KR15, 000 bail with two working sureties from recognised institutions either public or private and adjourned the matter to February 26, 2013.
Mweemba is represented by five lawyers namely, Martha Mushipe, Mr Muchende, Mr Makebi Zulu, Mr Nicholas Chanda and Mr Gilbert Lungu.
Some United Party for National Development (UPND) cadres and some lawyers were on hand to give moral support to Mweemba.
Mweemba is one of the defence lawyers representing UPND president Hakainde Hichilema in some matters before court.
Jail the chap.
YIU HAVE FOUND HIM GUILTY ALREADY? I THINK YES USING PF LAWS
Why put such a headline, as if he was arrested while representing HH? Is HH the only client that his practice exists for? Stupid sensationalism!
Looks like whatever HH engages in should be tonga, even lawyers yaba! The chap is really a tribalist indeed who just thinks of tongas, cowdung, mabisi etc.
@KBM the publication is jus trying to identify the guy since most of us don’t know him.
2.1: you must respect others umubwa uwe,ma rubish!!
@Apongozi; you are right Mr. Makebi Zulu, Nicholas Chanda & Gilbert Lungu are all Tongas to you.
is he not a lawyer for others….is HH his only client?
EVIDENCE IS NEEDED NOT ONLY MAKING NOISE SO PEOPLE WITHOUT A CRITICAL MIND THINK YOU ARE DOING SOMETHING GOOD. SUDDENLY EVERYONE IN ZAMBIA IS CORRUPT NOW OR WHAT?
They say HH’S LAWYER FOR THE FACT HIS MAYBE THE MOST WELL KNOWN CLIENT WHAT ABOUT THAT PEOPLE?
5 lawyers for a simple corruption charge??! mmm…. that tell’s a story on it’s own.