By ALICE NACHILEMBE
Six suspected land thieves have appeared before the Chingola Magistrate Court for illegally allocating Kasompe Air Strip land.
The suspects are Kipison Nyerenda 38, Malama Bwalya 28, James Mulonga 41, Bernard Bwalya 43, George Chongo 55, and Bernadette Chileshe 46; all of Kasompe save for Chileshe who stays in Kabundi Extension.
The six are charged with Criminal tress pass.
Particulars before Magistrate Shedrick Chanda were that on September 3, this year Kipison and 5 others whilst acting together, willfully entered the property of Chingola Municipal Council with intent to commit a felony.
Testifying before Magistrate Mr Chanda was Mimbula Ward Councillor Kennedy Sipasa who told the court that he caught the six ready handed illegally allocating part of the land near the airstrip.
Mr Sipasa said on the material day he was in the company of the District Planning Officer Chansa Mwila and Zambia Police officers at Kasope Air strip where they found the six accused illegally locating land with other two who ran away.
He said the land in question was not on title but the accused were demarcating the same land.
And another witness the District planning Officer Mr Mwila said that they found measuring tape and demarcation tools on the same land where they found the accused persons.
Mr Mwila said he was able to recognize Kipison because he once visited his office concerning land but he referred him to the mayor.
The matter was adjourned to September 20, for continuation of trial.
