FORMER Local Government and Housing deputy minister Moses Muteteka was yesterday set free after the Lusaka magistrate court granted him a K2000 cash bail pending the hearing of his appeal to the High Court.
Lusaka principal magistrate Aridah Chuulu last week sent Muteteka to prison for five years for stealing a Fuso truck belonging to his constituency.
The MMD Chisamba Member of Parliament (MP) later appealed against his conviction saying Ms Chuulu misdirected herself in fact and law when she convicted him of the charge of theft of motor vehicle.
He further stated in his appeal that the magistrate misdirected herself in law and fact when she held that he fraudulently registered the vehicle in his name when there was evidence to show that the exchange occurred after his electorates requested him to do so and the procedure of changing ownership was complied with.
Ruling on his bail application yesterday, Ms Chuulu granted Muteteka a K2000 cash bail with two working sureties in the like sum but in their own recognance.
This means that Muteteka’s sureties would not be required to pay the K2000 now unless he jumped his bail conditions.
Muteteka was facing one count of a motor vehicle contrary to the law.
Muteteka on May 24, 2010 in Lusaka stole a motor vehicle namely, a Mitsubishi Fuso light truck valued at K75, 000, the property of Chibombo District Council in Chisamba constituency.
Zambian law! This man is now free and will never go back to the chucks as the case will drag on for the next five years! Only those who steal chickens and sweets are jailed in Zambia.
And thus goes the story. We knew from the onset. Jail is for the under priviledged. Even bail on case of motor vehicle theft, ohh why am i asking? But i am yet to hear a villager that stole a chicken appealing and getting the jail sentence overturned.
This always happens. What we don’t realize is that the push against this unfair judicial practice has already begun albeit in simmering ripples. If not checked, this is fodder for a bigger fire that we may not be able to put out. Why are guilty people allowed to go scott-free by exploiting legal loopholes? Why should citizens with less resources go through the entire process of incarceration when those with resources are allowed to exploit these loopholes? What happens when their sentences are upheld (we can see evidence of this in society as we speak)? Come on, we can do better this. Either change the law or level the playing field. Too many people are serving sentences for lesser crimes than this!
I have never heard of any Politician in Zambia rotting in jail for more than a year, they all appeal and later on scot free. I don’t know who’s fooling who here. this chapter is closed. we will never see Muteteka in jail again.
Why rich guilt pipo are allowed to go scot free?l thought (to make the matter worse )that motor vehicle cases were non bailable ones? We still have judicially officers that are sick. Muteteka deserves to go to jail.
Mwanawasa used to say that “knowing too little is more dangerous than knowing nothing at all”.All the posts above are from pipo who know too little.As for Muteteka even getting bail was a waste of time.You cant answer to a charge of theft that you gave the person you stole from something more valuable.Unfortunately it is too late doing time is what awaits him.The case of the hammermills is also awaiting him and that one is even worse.These are lessons we should be learning from.This boy was nothing but a newspaper vendor and he should have been left in his position.Now he has to deal with a stroke and these charges.And dont forget this the little fool who at one time believed he was destined for the presidency simply because his uncle was president.
Start singing the praises-of-the-cobra-and-his-venom song and all charges will be droped. That is the only way to get out of any case hanging on your head under PF no matter what you have done. Or join the PF Militia. Simple.