Chief Resident Magistrate Patrick Chirwa has dismissed all objections raised by the defense in a case involving former Energy minister Newton Kambala and two others.
In the objections raised, the defense was stating that a charge sheet recently amended by the Anti-Corruption Bureau contained alternative charging, multiplicity, lack of sufficient offense particulars and typographic errors.
Chirwa has however ruled in favour of the state while indicating that alternative charging is allowed by law, there is no multiplicity and the state has not done anything wrong when it did not provide specific dates for some offenses alleged to have been committed.
The ACB has since been advised to make all other outstanding corrections in the charge sheet following the ruling.
The matter is expected to proceed between 19 and 21 January next year with plea taking.
Kambala along with President for Alliance for Democracy, Enock Chihana, and former Presidential advisor on strategy, Chris Chaima Banda are accused of influencing a public officer to abuse her office.
