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Shadreck Kasanda, businessman, hoping for justice to prevail in Friday’s court proceedings, told journalists outside the courts that “there was no scam, there was no gold scam.”
Kasanda added that he was not a scammer as alleged on social media but a businessman.
“We are hoping for justice, justice will prevail. If other people have been acquitted for this, it can only be a fact that something is coming up. If not, then these are the things that I explained earlier that some people have been paid and they are trying to play games. And let’s see how this goes. We are hoping for justice and we are all Zambians and they must stop.
“And this issue of a scam, there was no scam, there was no gold scam. People must correct their statements on social media. I’m not a scammer, I’m a businessman. I said there was no gold scam,” he said.
On Friday, Magistrate Chibwili, was informed by state advocate Graceilla Mulenga that the Director of Public Prosecution (DPP) had issued instructions to discontinue proceedings against six suspects.
Mulenga named the six as accountant and chairperson of the Bene Mukuni Traditional Ceremony Organising Committee, Oswald Diangamo, Walid Refaat Fathmi Botors, factory worker Mounir Shaker Gerges Awad, retired Colonel Mohamed Abdelhak Mohamed Gooda, security manager Yasser Mokhtar Abdelghafor and businessman Micheal Adel Micheal Batros.
Magistrate Chibwili said a nolle prosequi cannot be questioned and discharged the six.
After DPP entered nolle prosequi against five foreign nationals and one Zambian, Batros told Journalists outside court: “We have been discharged, we are free!.”
Lusaka Chief Resident Magistrate, Davies Chibwili, committed the remaining suspects, businessman Kasanda, Mahogany Air Chief Executive Officer Jim Belemu, pilot Patrick Kawanu, ICT expert Francis Mateyo and senior police officer Robson Moonga to the High Court for trial.
The Drug Enforcement Commission (DEC) charged 11 suspects with espionage, all linked to the gold scandal at Kenneth Kaunda International Airport (KKIA) in which a private jet in transit was seized carrying US$5.6 million, gold and weapons.
The last few days saw twist and turns to the matter with Kasanda abducted by State agents and him accusing them of soliciting for a bribe of over US$10 million.
His lawyers, Makebi Zulu Advocates, asked the court to cite DEC officers for contempt of court.
Magistrate Chibwili found the State agents guilty of contempt of court but only issued a stern warning.
He warned the State agents not to be overzealous in carrying out their duties to the extent of disrupting court proceedings.
Magistrate Chibwili wondered what was so urgent that the officers had to whisk Kasanda away when he was scheduled to appear before Court.
Meanwhile, DEC issued a statement that two of the discharged foreign nationals would be re-arrested on lesser charges.
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