Court directs that HH should have access to medical services

HH

HH

The Lusaka Magistrate Court has directed that incarcerated opposition UPND leader Hakainde Hichilema who has been charged with treason for plotting to overthrow the government of President Edgar Lungu be allowed access to medical services.

The directive is to the effect that Mr. Hichilema and five of his co-accused be attended to by personal doctors or at a health institution where a personal doctor is unavailable.

When the matter came today for the reading of the charges to Mr. Hichilema and his co-accused, Magistrate Greenwell Malumani also ruled that the six accused be allowed at least one hour of consultations time with their lawyers during normal hours.

Magistrate Malumani has further directed that Mr. Hichilema who has been in solitary confinement be allowed to be visited by his wife, his children and at least 5 family members.

He explained that this restriction of the number of visitors is in the interest of security of the accused person.

Magistrate Malumani has also ruled that Mr. Hichilema and his co-accused will now be under the custody of the Lusaka Central Correctional facility following their court appearance.

He made the preliminary rulings after the defence lawyers raised preliminary issues following the reading of the charges.

The defence team also pleaded with the Court that Mr. Hichilema be allowed access to reading material besides ordering an investigation into a Pastor who he does not know who visited him at night while in Police custody.

Meanwhile Magistrate Malumani has reserved ruling to tomorrow Wednesday, 19thApril on whether the treason charge and the offense of Disobedience to Lawful Orders and Use of Insulting Language can be tried together by the High Court.

Magistrate Malumani reserved the ruling after the state requested for time to respond to the argument by the defence team that treason charge cannot be tried together with the other two offences.

This was after the state advised the Court on how it preferred the cases to proceed following the reading of the charges to the accused.

In this matter the state has accused Mr. Hichilema and five others of planning to overthrow the government of Edgar Lungu on dates unknown, but between 10th October 2016 and 12th April 2017.

Meanwhile there was tight security at the Magistrates court complex as Mr Hichilema made a court appearance.

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