The Lusaka Magistrate Court has threatened to continue with trial with or without the defence lawyers in a case were a Lusaka couple, both civil servants, have been accused of concealing the famous 51 houses in Lusaka’s Chalala area worth over 37 million Kwacha.
The properties are reasonably suspected to be proceeds of crime.
The accused are Charles Loyana, a Senior Accountant in the Ministry of Finance, and his wife, Susan Sinkala, an assistant Accountant at the Ministry of Works and Supply.
They have both pleaded not guilty to the charges.
They are facing two counts of corrupt practices involving concealment and possession of property suspected to be proceeds of crime.
When the matter came up, the defence applied for an adjournment because they are attending a meeting in Livingstone.
In her ruling Lusaka Magistrate Faidess Hamaundu warned that the matter is delaying due to adjournments.
She said this is the last adjournment that she is giving to the defence.
Magistrate Hamaundu Said next time the matter comes up, trial will proceed with or without the defence lawyers.
ZNBC
