Fri, 05 May 2017 10:19:16 +0000 By CHARLES MUSONDA UPND president Hakainde Hichilema and his five co-accused have been committed to the High Court for trial in the case they are charged with treason. The committal has automatically dealt a blow to the preliminary inquiry which the court granted the defence last week. Mr. Hichilema’s lawyers have strongly opposed the committal and asked the Lusaka Magistrates’ Court to refer constitutional issues the matter has raised to the High Court for determination. Earlier yesterday, Principal Resident Magistrate David Simusamba ordered the police to release a mobile phone, two motor vehicles and keys for another vehicle seized from two of Hichilema’s co-accused without a seizure notice. But before the preliminary inquiry could start, public prosecutor Noah Mwanza, informed the court that the Director of Public Prosecutions had committed the accused persons to the High Court for the treason trial. Opposing the committal, defence lawyer Keith Mweemba argued […]
