UPND CADRE IN COURT: ATTEMPTED MURDER

Facts of the matter are that on October 6, 2019 in Kaoma, the UPND Kaoma district youth chairman did attempt to cause the death of Gift Simangolwa.

A CHARGE of attempted murder has been slapped on the UPND Kaoma youth chairman arrested during the fracas that left one person dead and another wounded.

Chola Simwawa, a former soldier, has denied the charge of attempting to murder a Patriotic Front member Gift Simangolwa who is reported to have suffered gun shot injury.

Appearing before Kaoma Senior Magistrate Chrispin Hampungani yesterday, Simwawa was granted bail of K20, 000 with two sureties following an application by defence lawyer Cornelius Mweetwa

Slogan chanting and rowdy UPND cadres thronged the magistrate’s court in their party regalia giving solidarity to their comrade, while angry PF members complained that Police were giving them too much leeway to misconduct themselves in front of the court premises..

Facts of the matter are that on October 6, 2019 in Kaoma Simwawa did attempt to cause the death of Gift Simangolwa.

When the matter came up for plea yesterday, Simwawa denied the charge after which the court set October 28, 2019 as date for mention and possible committal to the High Court for trial.

Later, Mr. Mweetwa applied for bail saying the accused person would not manage conditions in prison due to his health status.

He said Simwawa is hypertensive and diabetic and spent the previous night admitted to Kaoma General Hospital.

Simwawa was arrested last week following violent scenes that characterised campaigns for the Kaoma Council Chairperson byelection in which a UPND cadre Lawrence Banda from Lusaka died and some members of both the PF and UPND were left with serious injuries.

Banda was found lying in a pool of blood with a handbag which he was accused having stolen from one of the vehicles carrying PF officials.