AS if being prosecuted for forging a colleague's National
Registration Card to obtain a loan is not trouble enough, a police officer of
Lusaka has found himself in another court accused of stealing firearm meant for
operations during his working hours.
Whilst the State is working to have Given Kayelu jailed for forging
his colleagues National identity card and payslip and subsequently obtaining a
loan worth K65, 746, the officer has also been indicted for theft by public
servant.
In the gun charge, it is alleged that Kayelu aged 26 between
June 4, 2023 and June 6, 2023 being employed as a police officer stole an AK47
rifle valued at K3, 000 belonging to government, which came into his possession
by virtue of his employment in the public service.
The accused pleaded not guilty to the charge before visiting
Nakonde magistrate Alice Walusiku.
Kayelu has been admitted to K20, 000 free bail by the Court,
after his lawyer Mcqueen Zaza made an application for his temporal release
pending trial, pursuant to Section 123(1) of the Criminal Procedure Code (CPC).
“The accused is of fixed abode and has credible sureties. It is
our application that you use your discretion to grant bail with favourable
conditions,”said Zaza.
Magistrate Walusiku granted Kayelu bail on a condition that he
provides two working sureties who have been bound in the like sum (K20, 000) to
be paid in their own recognizance.
She adjourned the matter to November 7, 2023 for trial.
CAPTION: File photo for illustration
Src: Kalemba
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