State defies ‘produce Mundubile’ order
By Charles Musonda
THE State has defied a High Court order directing it to bring National Reconciliation Party for National Unity and Prosperity (NRPUP) 2026 presidential candidate Brian Mundubile, his running mate Makebi Zulu and 16 other treason-accused to court for their constitutional bail application.
Lawyer for those accused of treason Milner Katolo described the failure to present the detainees in court as frustrating.
Briefing journalists after the case was adjourned in chambers yesterday, Katolo said the matter could not take off because the State only served them with its affidavit in opposition to the application yesterday around 17:00 hours.
“We worked all night to get an affidavit in reply ready. We hoped that our clients would be brought to court this morning as per order of the court last time,” he said.
Katolo said the failure by the State to transport Mundubile, Zulu and 16 others made it difficult for the case to proceed.
“If that had happened, our clients would have signed, filed and the matter would have proceeded. Unfortunately, our clients have not been brought to court. We raised that issue with the court and the State acknowledged that they communicated to the prison authorities to have our clients brought here. They don’t know why they have not been brought before court,” Katolo said.
He said the failure by the State to present Mundubile andthe others before the court had forced the bench to adjourn the matter to today at 10:00 hours.
He said judges Derrick Mulenga, Davis Chibwili and Irene Wishimanga ordered that Mundubile and 17 others be brought to court today without fail.
“Should there be failure to bring the applicants to court, the officer-in-charge at Mukobeko Maximum Security Correctional Facility should present himself to court to explain why he would have failed to bring the applicants to court,” he said.
Another lawyer, Sakwiba Sikota said the defence had tirelessly worked hard throughout the night to have the bail application case heard.
“That is how much work we had to do in order to be able to file on time only to be frustrated by the State not bringing the petitioners as was ordered.”
He said the State only served them with the affidavit in opposition to the bail application on Tuesday around 17:00 hours.
Ends.
