Tembo’s case fails to take off

THE case in which suspended Copperbelt Police Commissioner Mary Tembo is charged with two counts of abuse of office failed to take off and was adjourned to April 2014.

Ndola Chief Resident Magistrate Paul  Chisha  adjourned  the commencement of  trail  for  Tembo   today  to April 1,3 and 4 for this year after  granting  the application by the state for an adjournment.

Anti-Corruption Commission  Chief  legal  prosecutor  Kapetwa Phiri  who  represented the state  in   making   the application  told the court  that  the Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP)  had   called for  a  re- file  to the  issue  for  further instruction  on the
matter.

He however, apologised to the defence lawyers Derrick Mulenga from Derrick Mulenga and company with his partner Milner Katolo from Katolo and Associates both of Ndola, the accused person and the court for the inconvenience caused.

But the defense objected to the application saying the State prosecutors had more than 30 days to do what they intended to do adding that they hoped that this would not happen again.

Tembo, 53, of 4 Bukafu Road in Ndola and Plot 37 Lusaka West farms in Lusaka is facing two counts of abuse of authority contrary to the laws of Zambia.

In the first count, Tembo   between May 1 and June  30 last  year in Ndola  being  a public officer namely , Commissioner  of police for the Copperbelt Province,  abused  authority of her  office  by obtaining a Toyota Corolla AAX 5716  from Grizzy Mining Limited  which she registered in her name.

Tembo  in the second  count  between November  1 and December  31, 2012 in Ndola   working  in the same capacity on the Copperbelt province  abused her  authority  by attempting to get  Grizzy Mining Limited, A private company to fix her personal Toyota Cressida F100, which she had  delivered to the company using public resources.

Magistrate Chisha adjourned the case to 1, 3 and 4 April, 2014 for commencement of trail and extended police bond for the accused person.