‘Black dog’ suspect skips court

A LUSAKA magistrates’ court yesterday ordered the summoning of sureties for a 28-year-old Indian accused of calling a Zambian a black dog.

Chief resident magistrate Lameck Mwale also ordered that the arresting officer be summoned and appear before him. This is in a matter Patel Shahnawazy, a sales manager at SD Investment, is charged with one count of expressing or showing hatred, ridicule or contempt for persons because of race.

It is alleged that on April 24, 2019, Shahnawazy uttered words verbally expressing or showing hatred, ridicule or contempt to Ian Chilenga wholly and mainly because of his tribe, place or original by saying "You are a black dog."

He had pleaded not guilty to the charge and after applying for bail through his lawyer, George Musonda, he was released on K15,000 cash bail with two working sureties bound in the sum of K30,000 in their own recognisance.

When he was supposed to appear for trial Shahnawazy was not present. On July 5, 2019, magistrate Mwale issued a bench warrant against Shahnawazy for failure to appear in court without giving any reasons.

And when the matter came up yesterday, public prosecutor Stuyvesant Malambo told the court that the bench warrant had not been executed and the arresting officer was not in court to give an explanation.

At this point, magistrate Mwale ordered the prosecution to summon Shahnawazy's sureties and the arresting officer and ensure that they appeared before court.

He adjourned the hearing to August 9, 2019.