Witness denies signing seizure notice in prophet Amata's case
A ZAMBIA Revenue Authority (ZRA) Customs Officer stationed at Kenneth Kaunda International Airport (KKIA) has told the Lusaka Magistrates Court how he found a bag in the Arrivals Hall tagged with a name “Amata” but denied ever signing the seizure notice as a witness.
This is in a case in which Nigerian Prophet Julius Isaac Amata was arrested for drug trafficking in Lusaka.
Particulars of the offence are that Amata on 24th January, 2018 in Lusaka, did traffic in Psychotropic Substances namely 26.29 kilograms of Ephedrine without lawful authority.
In the first count, he is charged with trafficking Psychotropic Substances contrary to section 6 of the laws of Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substance Act CAP 96 of the laws of Zambia.
And in the second count, Amata is charged with importation of Psychotropic Substances Act CAP 96 of the laws of Zambia in which he pleaded not guilty to both cases.
During continued trial before Magistrate Brian Simachela, Chileshe Shula told the court that on January 24th 2018 between 12:30 to 13hrs, his workmate Chimbiya Banda came to alert him that there was a bag that was by the arrival's hall which needed to be attended to.
He said after bag was weighed it was found to have had a weight of 27.8kg.
"From there my colleagues and I went to have the bag scanned but we were unable to determine what was in the bag, then it was taken to the searching bay and forced opened with a knife,” he testified.
Mr Shula also said when the scanning and opening og the bag was being done, the accused was not present.
He said a notice of seizure was issued by Rachel Pinalo to seize the bag.
He testified that a DEC officer was called to come and investigate more on the content of the bag.
But when Defence counsel, Tutwa Ngulube asked if he witnessed the seizure notice and the witness said it was prepared by Ms Pinalo who included his name there and his signature as witness.
"I did not sign the seizure notice as witness, it was signed by Pinalo," he said.
And another witness, Victor Lumbi 31, an arresting officer from DEC told the court that he was called on January 24th by one of his colleagues that his attention was needed in the Arrival's Hall.
He testified that he found a blue bag in the hall which was opened and found with a salt like substance.
"When the bag was opened, there was a brown tape wrapped around the substance which looked like salt,” he said.
Mr Lumbi said Amata was taken to DEC regional office and a sample of the content of the bag was taken to the University Teaching Hospital for further examination.
He also testified that an Infinix mobile phone, and two passports were seized from the accused.
The matter comes up on March 29th 2018 for continued trial.