2 MTN workers deny attempt to burn offices

TWO MTN employees accused of attempting to set on fire the finance department at the company appeared yesterday in the Lusaka Magistrates' Court and denied charges of attempted arson.

The two are Kamanyanga Kaseele, 35, an accountant of Woodlands and Chipasha Kamukwamba, 36, a businessman of Lake Road Ibex Hill.

They are charged with attempted arson contrary to Section 328 (a) and 329 (a) of the Penal Code Chapter 87 of the Laws of Zambia.

Allegations are that between February 12, 2020 and February 13, 2020 in Lusaka, the two with other persons unknown, attempted to set on fire a building namely MTN head office.

When the matter came up before Chief Resident Magistrate Lameck Mwale, the two denied the charge.

Through their respective lawyers, Kaseele and Kamukwamba applied for bail pending trial on grounds that both are Zambians with a traceable address and are willing to comply with set conditions.

The court granted the accused bail pending trial in the sum of K20, 000 cash.

Magistrate Mwale ordered that they provide two working sureties bound in the sum of K30, 000 in their own recognizance. The matter has been adjourned to March 13, 2020 for mention and March 24, 2020 for trial.

According to deputy inspector general of police-operations Bonny Kapeso, they attempted to burn down the department in an effort to destroy evidence of misapplication of resources.

MTN headquarters in Lusaka’s Roma Township were evacuated after what the company said was a break-in and that suspected assailants poured unknown liquids and chemicals in the finance department pool office.