Lusaka-Sunday 1st December 2024
Former Minister of Infrastructure and Member of Parliament for Pambashe, Ronald Chitotela, is expected to appear before the Kabwe High Court in Kabwe tomorrow.
This is in a matter where Kawambwa Magistrate Court, Martin Namushi, convicted Chitotela and six others of various offenses allegedly committed during the August 2021 general elections.
Chitotela’s matter was referred to the High Court for sentencing as arson attracts a severe sentence of not less than 10 years after being found guilty of arson.
Chitotela has denied committing the offence as he was not even present at the scene of the alleged crime and had since appealed against the conviction.
His Kawambwa counterpart, Nixon Chilangwa, was acquitted of arson charges but found guilty of alleged malicious damage, threatening violence, and four counts of assault.
Chilangwa received a 60-month sentence for malicious damage, 11 months for threatening violence, and 18 months for assault. The sentences will run concurrently.
And Patriotic Front Chairperson for Information and Publicity, Amb. Emmanuel Mwamba, has stated that clear injustice was committed against the two MPs and their associates.
He stated that Hon. Nixon Chilangwa complained against the misconduct of Magistrate Martin Namushi in the matter and proceeded to file an official complaint to the Judicial Complaints Commission (JCC) backed up by texts, WhatsApp messages and audio evidence demonstrating that the outcome of their cases was engineered and predetermined from Lusaka.
Mwamba also stated that the duo were not present at the scene of the alleged crime.
He also condemned the secnario where the duo has been denied bail.
He said this was sad development as other senior PF leaders have been denied without due justification such as former Minister of Defence, Geoffrey Bwalya Mwamba, former Lusaka Provinve Minister, Bowman Lusambo, spouse to former Minister of Home Affairs,Steven Kampyongo, Wanziya Kampyongo, and a youth official, Francis Muchemwa.
Mwamba also stated that the declaration of the Kawambwa Seat vacant and subsequent action to call for an election was illegal as Chilangwa had obtained a court injunction against the Electoral Commission of Zambia and the injunction remained active todate.
[PF Media]