Maravi

Dora's lawyers fail to show up for trial

Dora's lawyers fail to show up for trial
By Agness Changala
Tue 08 May 2012, 14:00 CAT

LUSAKA chief resident magistrate Joshua Banda yesterday warned that he will not accept another adjournment in the Dora Siliya case after her lawyers failed to pitch up.

Magistrate Banda issued the caution after Siliya's lead counsels, Sakwiba Sikota and Eric Silwamba, failed to show up when the matter came up for commencement of trial before him yesterday morning.

This is in a matter where Siliya, a former communications and transport minister in the MMD regime, is charged with abuse of authority of office over airport radar tenders.

Siliya is in the first count alleged to have directed the cancellation of a duly-awarded tender for the supply, delivery, installation and commissioning of the Zambia Air Traffic Management Surveillance Radar System to Thales Air System SA.

She is in the second count alleged to have accepted a free offer from Selex Sistemi Integrati S.P.A for the repair of a radar head at the then Lusaka now KK International Airport without following procedure.

The joint government investigative team says as a result of this free offer, the government lost K1,943,932,360.00.

Director of Public Prosecutions Mutembo Nchito, who has since joined the case as lead prosecutor, requested the court to allow Siliya an opportunity to address the court in her lawyers' absence.

Siliya said her lawyers were on their way and the court stood down the matter for about 30 minutes.

However, after a while, a lawyer from Eric Silwamba and Company, Lubinda Linyama, showed up and informed the court about the absence of the two lead counsels.

Lubinda applied for an adjournment in view of the above situation.
Linyama told the court that his firm had joined the defence team and that Sikota and Silwamba would lead the defence.

"We apologise for the inconvenience as this circumstance has led to an adjournment," said Linyama.

Nchito said the State had no objection to the application from the defence.
He said the state was ready to commence trial but had noted the absence of Siliya's lawyers.

Magistrate Banda said the defence had been given the benefit of doubt this time around.

"But let me state that I will find it very difficult to accept any adjournment," said magistrate Banda.

Labels: COURTS, DORA SILIYA

posted by MrK @ 3:23 AM