Kabwe Magistrate Gloria Chipasha has allowed a video clip to be shown in court as evidence in a case where former Kabushi Member Bowman Lusambo and four others are charged with unlawful assembly.

Magistrate Chipasha allowed the Compact Disc to be admitted as part of evidence after the former lawmaker and his co-accused objected to the submission of the disc as evidence.

Others accused are Central Province Patriotic Front Chairperson Billy Sichamba, Saidi Chibwana, Mathews Changwe and Martine Simfukwe.

Particulars of the offence are that Lusambo and his co-accused on November 2, 2023 in Kabwe district jointly and whilst acting together with other unknown persons did unlawfully assemble at Brimas in Kabwe an action which caused reasonable fear of the breach of peace.

When the matter came up for continued trial, the accused told the court that they were ready to proceed with the case without their lawyer Emmanuel Phiri of Makebi Zulu Advocates.

During the trial, Detective Sergeant Gift Chilando, a Forensic Expert from Zambia Police Service headquarters testified in connection to a video clip in which Lusambo was captured addressing some people.

This was after Magistrate Chipasha overthrew an objection by the five accused not to allow the Compact Disc containing the clip to be admitted in court as part of evidence.

The accused cast doubt on the authenticity of the disc since it did not have an official police emblem or stamp.

But Senior Public Prosecutor Renny Phiri urged the court not to entertain the accused’s objection because the CD was clearly labelled.

Passing her ruling, Magistrate Chipasha ruled that the CD be admitted as evidence. It was later viewed and showed images of Lusambo and some of his co-accused talking to some people.

The matter has since been adjourned to June 3, 2024, for continued trial.