FTJ’s son granted K3, 500 cash bail

Constitutional Court

Former Republican President Frederick Chiluba’s son Fredrick Junior has been granted a K3,500 cash bail pending appeal to the High Court against his eight months conviction for theft of a mobile phone.

Mr Chiluba, 32, is required to provide two working sureties, employed by reputable institutions, who have been bound to K10, 000 each in their own recognizance as part of the bail conditions.

In her ruling, when the matter came up this morning, Magistrate Nthandose Chabala also ordered to Mr. Chiluba to surrender his passport.

Magistrate Chalaba granted Mr Chiluba bail pending appeal after she found merit in the bail application which the State had opposed.

In his application to be admitted to bail, Mr. Chiluba argued that he might serve a substantial period of his sentence if he remained in custody while his appeal was being heard.

He invited the Magistrate to take judicial notice that appeals take some time to be heard.

But the state objected to the bail application, contending that there was no justification in the application for bail on the basis that appeals take long.

The former second republican president’s son was convicted and sentenced to eight years imprisonment with hard labour for stealing a Samsung S7 Edge from Brenda Chisha valued at K8,500.