Zambia: Kawambwa Central Member of Parliament Nickson Chilangwa has asked the Kawambwa Subordinate Court to dismiss the charges levelled against him due to inconsistencies by the state witnesses.
Chilangwa, in his continued defence led by the defence counsel, Jonas Zimba, has told the court that the testimonies by the state witnesses, including a police officer, were not collaborating as there was no single entry recorded in the Occurrence Book at the Kawambwa Police Station between August 12 and August 18, 2021.
He has asked the court not to rely on the medical reports produced before the court, saying they were fraudulently prepared as an afterthought on August 15, when the incident happened on August 12, 2021.
The Kawambwa Central lawmaker teasingly thanked the police for not doing thorough and professional investigations of the matter, as there were a lot of gaps in the testimonies from the state that have vindicated him.
Chilangwa had asked the court instead to rely on the evidence by the former Police Officer in Charge, who testified that he did not fire the gunshots in the air and also that he and the other two co-accused were not at the scene when the Mahindra was burnt.
He maintained that his name, together with his co-accused persons, were put up for the purposes of implicating them in the matter for political motives, as stated by one state witness, John Lukwesa, in the recorded video evidence that he was coached by the named United Party for National Development (UPND) officials to implicate him and others.
He also told the court that the Mahindra motor vehicle registration number BAR 1922 ZM he is alleged to have burnt has two different engine numbers.
Chilangwa told Magistrate Martin Namushi, sitting before the Kawambwa Subordinate Court, that the engine numbers appearing on the photo album produced by the police officer and the white book were different, implying that there could be two vehicles involved in the matter.
He also said that according to the particulars on the white book, the Mahindra motor vehicle belonged to an individual, Obed Mulomba, contrary to what is on the indictment and testimonies by state witnesses that it was a property of the UPND.
This is in the matter Pambashe Member of Parliament, Hon Ronald Kaoma Chitotela and Chilangwa, with five others, are on defence for arson, malicious damage to property, threatening violence and assault.
During the presidential and general elections, the offences were allegedly committed on August 12, 2021, at Mulyomi Village in Pambashe Constituency.
All the seven accused persons are being represented by defence counsels Winter Kabimba State Counsel, Jonas Zimba, Benjamin Mwelwa, Boniface Chiwala and Kampamba Kombe, while State Advocates Mwala Museta and Wilson Mwale are representing the state in this matter.