THE Lusaka High Court has ordered that the two men accused of abducting 13 young woman seven months ago should take plea on June 5, 2023.
The order was made today after Judge Charles Kafunda received a medical report indicating that the condition of one of the accused, James Bwalya, who is nursing a spine injury, has significantly improved.
“That there is significant reduction of pain at the site of the injury, that being the case, i now declare accused number one [James Bwalya] fit to stand trial as the primary condition of pain which impended his ability to stand trial has now improved,” Judge Kaunda said.
He said in an event where trial starts, the defence lawyers can approach the court and ask that their client takes breaks in line with the doctor’s recommendation.
Bwalya, who is jointly charged with Mathews Sikaonga, was recently placed on three weeks bedrest to recuperate from his spine injury and a spine surgeon recommended that he should be allowed to rest and would later be reviewed to check his physical fitness.
When the case resumed, the prosecution team led by senior state advocate Bob Mwewa informed the court that the report on the review of Bwalya’s condition had been submitted before court by the physician who attended to him.
Judge Kafunda noted that the report shows that Bwalya’s condition has significantly improved and ordered that they should now take plea at the next sitting next week.
The two men were slapped with 54 charges of abduction, rape, assault and others allegedly committed between January and October last year.
(Mwebantu, Thursday, 1st June, 2023)