State enters nolle in favour of a court official, turns her into a witness
By Staff Reporter
THE State has discontinued a case of drug trafficking against Lusaka Magistrates’ Court interpreter Florence Mushoka through a nolle prosequi and turned her into a State witness.
Mushoka was jointly charged with six other court officials Emmanuel Chirwa, Bearvan Mengo, Mathews Mukanda, Victor Nzaila, O’Brian Muyunda, Didie Kangwa and two businessmen Eric Chipango and Emmanuel Chimba for trafficking in 24 kilogrammes of cocaine and theft of drugs.
The cocaine which was an exhibit before another matter allegedly went missing.
The State through advocate Sipholiano Phiri presented the nolle which the Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP) entered before magistrate Victoria Chitulangoma.
And as soon as Mushoka was discharged by the court, Phiri asked her to take the witness stand as a last witness.
However, she did not give her testimony because the defence lawyers through Keith Mweemba applied for an adjournment so that they could obtain further instructions from their clients.
Mweemba said the defence needed to put their house in order as the discharge of Mushoka and turning her into a State witness took them by surprise.
Magistrate Chitulangoma adjourned the case to today, Thursday.
