ENOCK KADEMAUNGA writes
@SunZambian
THREE Zimbabwean businessmen have denied stealing over K200, 000 cash from a motor vehicle belonging to an export company.
Patrick Banda, 37, Lovemore Munetsi, 29, and Reason Nyoni, 36, all of Bulawayo, Zimbabwe are charged with theft from motor vehicle.
Allegations are that on July 24, in Lusaka the three stole K250, 000 from a Toyota RunX belonging to Daisy Change Cxport Zambia limited.
When the matter came up before Magistrate Felix Kaoma the trio denied the charges.
Through their lawyer Nicolas Chanda, they applied for bail pending trial saying they were of fixed abode and were not a flight risk.
But the State objected saying the accused persons did not have permanent residency as they were squatting somewhere in Matero Township and frequently traveled to Zimbabwe because of the nature of their business.
Magistrate Kaoma denied the accused bail because they were not of fixed abode in Zambia.
“While I am cognizant that the accused are innocent till proven guilty and are entitled to bail, the court must not prejudice the State by letting the accused on the loose,
“In the light that the accused have no fixed abode in Zambia, the bail pending trial application is hereby denied,” he said.
Mr Kaoma then adjourned the matter to August 27, for commencement trial and urged the State to expedite the exercise.
In another court, a 47 year old Pastor of Lusaka has been charged with unlawful deprivation.
The suspect in the matter Charles Mashikolo of PHI is alleged that between 2014 and 2016 in Lusaka, unlawfully deprived Thabo Kimbala and Webster Kimbala of their entitlement namely farm 31 of subdivision A of farm 459A valued at K885, 000 which belonged to their late mother, Evelyn Mashikolo.
The matter has been allocated to Magistrate Ammie Masoja for plea and Mashikolo expected to appear before court soon.
