Court issues arrest warrant for PF Kaputa District Political Secretary

—The Kaputa subordinate court has issued an arrest warrant to Patriotic Front (PF) Kaputa District Political Secretary for failing to appear in court over the offence of conduct
likely to cause the breach of peace.

Boyd Chomba, who has been jointly charged with another PF cadre for conduct likely to cause the breach of peace, is on bail and was expected to appear in court yesterday for commencement of trial.

Magistrate Victor Mukupa, who issued the bench warrant for the arrest of Chomba and his sureties, observed that this was now the second time in a row the accused has failed to show up without valid reasons from him or his sureties.

Magistrate Mukupa said accused did not show up last month for mention and again yesterday and neither of his sureties have come to explain.

He has since issued the bench warrant to Chomba and his sureties, saying they should be arrested and brought before the court for trial.

This is a case in which Chomba has been jointly charged with Adam Munkoyo, another PF cadre, for conduct likely to cause the breach of peace.

Earlier, Munkoyo, who appeared before the court, said his co-accused could not make it because he was reportedly stuck on the Mporokoso-Kaputa road after his vehicle broke down.

He said Chomba had gone to Kasama for party duties and was expected to be in Kaputa before the court case but communicated to him that his vehicle was stuck and could not make it.

Meanwhile, Magistrate Mukupa has refused Munkoyo from withdrawing a case in which he sued five Untied Party for National Development (UPND) cadres for assaulting him.

Magistrate Mukupa said he did not agree to the idea that Munkoyo wants to withdraw the case on the precept that he has forgiven them after assaulting him.

He explained that the fact that the five accused denied the charge, withdrawing the case on the assumption that he has forgiven them  for means they are guilty, a thing the accused denied.

The magistrate added that although the court encourages reconciliation, the grounds in which Munkoyo wanted the case to be withdrawn would not only be prejudicial but also contemptuous as he was asserting that the accused are guilty of the charge.

Magistrate Mukupa stated that there are, however, better grounds in which Munkoyo could have presented the case.

He has since adjourned both the case in which the two PF cadres are charged with conduct likely to cause the peace and the case in which the five UPND cadres have been charged with assault to 31st October for commencement of trial.