Chibombo accident case deferred to November

THE 74-year-old Mkushi farmer, Abraham van Eeden, who is accused of causing the death of 50 people in a road traffic accident involving a Post Bus in Chibombo in February, this year failed to take plea in the Kabwe High Court yesterday.
Van Eeden could not take plea after he was informed that his case would be handled by Kabwe High Court Judge-in-Charge Eddie Sikazwe, who is currently indisposed.
Kabwe High Court Judge Elita Mwikisa told Van Eeden that he could not take plea because the case would be handled by Mr Justice Sikazwe and that the matter would come in the November sessions.
More than 50 people died in February when a Lusaka-bound Post Bus from Ndola collided with a truck around John Chinena area in Chibombo.
Meanwhile, six suspects accused of strangling two taxi drivers using a wire before getting away with their motor vehicles have pleaded not guilty to five counts of murder, aggravated robbery and assault before Madam Justice Mwikisa.
The six include two juvenile offenders aged 17 and 16, Mubanga Mutale, 32, Bruce Bota, 28, Kings Bota, 32, and Brian Mofya, 34.
In the first and second counts the six, while acting together, are alleged to have on September 12, 2012, while armed with a wire, robbed Simon Miti of a Toyota Corolla, registration number ABZ 1481, and later murdered him.
In the third and fourth counts, while acting together on October 25, 2012, armed with a wire, the suspects are alleged to have robbed Aaron Hasanda of his Toyota Sprinter, registration number ABZ 3004, and murdered him.
In the fifth count, they are alleged to have attacked and assaulted Eugene Mulenga on January 10, 2013 with the intention of stealing his motor vehicle while armed with a wire.
One of the accused is being represented by Mulilo Kabesha from Kabesha and Company while the other five are represented by Legal Aid.
Judge Mwikisa has set September 9, 2013 as the trial date and the accused were remanded in custody.
And Kabwe Maximum Prison officer-in-charge Hastings Chilombe told Madam Justice Mwikisa during the opening of the September criminal sessions that as at yesterday, the prisons in Central Province had a total of 3,328 inmates.