CHOMBA MUSIKA, Lusaka
FORMER State House spokesperson Amos Chanda and two others opted to remain silent during interrogations over offences of obstruction and using insulting language against law enforcement officers. An arresting officer told a magistrate yesterday that he then made up his mind to formally charge and arrest Chanda, his wife Mable, and sister-in-law Ruth Nakaundi. Joseph Mbewe, an Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC) investigations officer, told the court that he had warned and cautioned the trio over allegations of obstructing and using insulting language against investigators. This is in a case Chanda, Mable and Nakaundi are accused of using insulting language against ACC officers on October 27 last year. It is alleged in the second count that on the material day, Mable and Nakaundi repeatedly used insulting language against ACC officers, the conduct which was likely to provoke the officers to cause them to break peace or commit an offence. On the material day, the trio allegedly obstructed and delayed ACC officers in their lawful exercise of their duty to search house number 67 on Elm Road in Woodlands, Lusaka. During continued trial yesterday before Lusaka chief resident magistrate Dominic Makalicha, Mr Mbewe testified that he was tasked to investigate allegations that ACC officers who searched Chanda’s properties were insulted and obstructed. He stated that the accused persons allegedly insulted ACC officers whom they referred to as lowly-paid idiots while they were conducting searches at a farm in Njolwe, Chongwe, State Lodge and on Elm Road in Woodlands. Mr Mbewe said during investigations at Chanda’s properties, ACC officers kept on CLICK TO READ MORE