Court revokes bench warrant issued against Zindaba Soko

THE Lusaka Magistrate Court has revoked a bench warrant issued against former Road Transport and Safety Agency -RTSA- Chief Executive Officer, Zindaba Soko and ordered him to provide two new witnesses and surrender his passport to the court of clerk.

In this matter, Soko,45, is jointly charged with Kelvin Smith Kisambara and a 24-year-old student, Ibrahim Mbongo of Libala with forgery Contrary to Section 347 and 342 of the Penal Code Chapter 87, Uttering false documents contrary to Section 352 of the Penal Code Chapter 87 and found in possession of property believed to have stolen or unlawfully obtained contrary to Section 319 (a) of the Penal Code Chapter 87 contrary to the laws of Zambia. Magistrate Irene Wishimanga further ordered that Soko should remain in custody until he brings two new sureties before the court.

Earlier, Soko had explained that he was not before court because he was out in Dubai for a job interview and that before leaving the country, he consulted his lawyers who advised him to go.

And Soko engaged new lawyers stating that his previous defence lawyers misled him because had it not been for their advice, he would not have travelled. Magistrate Wishimanga then counseled Soko‘s former lawyers over their conduct and said lawyers were officers of the court and must be the first ones to be loyal to the court and not the client. Ms Wishimnaga said since none of the sureties for Soko appeared before court to explain about his whereabout, it meant that they were not serious of their duties, and she gave Soko benefit of a doubt after he apologised to the court.

Meanwhile, Soko’s co-accused, Kisambara has been sentenced to 18 months imprisonment with hard labor for possessing a deceased person’s national registration card. When the matter came up for reading of facts, the now convict pleaded guilty to forgery contrary to section 347, uttering false documents contrary to section 352 and being found in possession of property believed to be stolen contrary to the laws of Zambia.