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The Lusaka Magistrates’ Court has dismissed the State’s request to visit Forum for Democracy and Development (FDD) president, Edith Nawakwi, at her residence to verify her health status.
The request followed Nawakwi’s repeated failure to appear in court over charges of abduction and threatening violence against Feluna and Milton Hatembo.
State prosecutor, Muyangana Sitali argued that after several missed court appearances due to alleged illness, it was necessary to confirm whether Nawakwi was genuinely unwell or using her condition as a delaying tactic.
Read more: Nawakwi: Continued absence in court triggers warning to sureties Chisopa, Chonde
“The accused is of fixed abode, and we need to confirm that she is indeed sick,” Sitali submitted. “We request the court to set a date for an official visit to her residence.”
However, Nawakwi’s defense team, led by State Counsel Chifumu Banda, condemned the application as “inhumane” and unnecessary, citing a medical report signed by three doctors, including a senior medical superintendent.
“This submission is reminiscent of biblical times when Thomas doubted the resurrection of Jesus,” Banda argued. “Illness has no boundaries, and this request lacks a human face. We urge the court to reject it.”
Magistrate Amy Masoja dismissed the State’s application, describing it as “untenable” and set trial dates, adjourning the matter to April 14, 2025.
Nawakwi faces accusations of abducting the Hatembo siblings and threatening to kill them, allegedly forcing them from Choma to Lusaka between August 31, 2021, and September 1, 2022.
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