-CHINSALI MAGISTRATE COURT INTERRUPTED

 

CHINSALI MAGISTRATE COURT INTERRUPTED

Chinsali, April 4, 2013, ZANIS… Court proceedings at Chinsali Magistrate’s court in Muchinga Province have been interrupted due to rehabilitation works.

The Judiciary in Chinsali has been using the council chambers at Chinsali Municipal Council as a court room since last year after a room they were using at the new provincial administration for Muchinga Province was turned into a conference room.

Both Muchinga Province Deputy Permanent Secretary Jewis Chabi and Magistrate Shedrick Chanda have confirmed the development to Zambia News and Information Services (ZANIS) in separate interviews in Chinsali today.

Magistrate Chanda said the interruptions have entered day 3 today.

Mr. Chanda lamented that the current scenario will result in work overload adding that cases which were scheduled to take place in the last three days have since been adjourned to other dates.

Magistrate Chanda hopes that the situation will be normalised soon in order to avoid congesting the police cells and remand prison especially that over 52 prohibited immigrants are still remanded in custody.

And Muchinga province deputy permanent secretary Jewish Chabi said he is saddened by the situation .

Mr Chabi added that the disturbance was due to the rehabilitation works at the council chamber following the declaration of Chinsali district as a provincial headquarter and the subsequent upgrading of Chinsali council to a municipal council.

Mr. Chabi said the magistrate and his team will temporally move to the new local court building which is still under construction although only plumbing works remain to be completed.

He said the contractor on site has assured him that the plumbing works will commence soon .

The DPS said he is confident that by mid next week the new court will be fully operational .

ENDS/