THREE suspects, a businessman and two drivers, have been committed to the High Court for trial in connection with the trafficking of 29 suspected Ethiopians whose bodies were dumped in a farming area in the outskirts of Lusaka in December last year.
The suspects are Jairos Njobvu, 30, a driver of SOS area, 35-year-old Stephen Sitali, also a driver of Malayila village and Pathius Mayembe, 43, of Kabwata Estates.
The three men, who looked composed, yesterday appeared before Lusaka Magistrate Mbuywana Sinvula facing 29 counts of prohibition of trafficking in persons.
It is alleged that between December 10 and 11, 2022, the trio, while acting together with other unknown persons, intentionally engaged in trafficking of unidentified male Ethiopians
On December 11, 28 people, believed to be migrants from Ethiopia, were dumped by the roadside in Ngwerere’s Meanwood Nkhosi area north of Zambia’s capital.
When the three appeared before magistrate Sinvula, the charges were readout to the accused before a state prosecutor informed the court that instructions to have the accused committed to the High Court were ready.
“Being in receipt of instructions from the Director of Public Prosecutions, I commit the accused to the High Court for a summary trial,” the magistrate said.
Defence lawyers then applied for bail pending trial in respect of all three accused persons.
They also complained that their clients’ constitutional right to be granted bond and immediately be taken to court after being arrested in December last year had been infringed.
However, the State asked for an adjournment to enable it adequately respond to the application because justice should not just be for tje accused but the State aswell.
But the defence vehemently objected and said the application be heard.
In her ruling, magistrate Sinvula allowed for the adjournment to today to allow the state to effectively respond to the bail application.
It is allegation that during police investigations, one of the suspects led the investigators to the recovery of a truck allegedly used to traffic the bodies, which were buried some two weeks ago.
The bodies of the immigrants were treated as unclaimed.
