Paladin assault case on July 17
The Mzuzu Chief Resident Magistrate’s Court has set July 17 2013 as a date for hearing of the Paladin assault case.
Three Paladin officials in Karonga, general manager John Chandler, safety manager Peter Duffield and security supervisor Ronald Kapira are suspected to have assaulted an employee Kenneth Kamadya for recording proceedings of a meeting in which he wanted clarification on why he was being recalled to work, after a one-year suspension, without results of an investigation instituted against him on alleged theft of a generator in 2011.
The officers will be in Mzuzu to hear charges placed against them and make a plea of guilty or not guilty.
This comes after the Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP) Bruno Kalemba gave consent to private practice lawyer George Kadzipatike to prosecute the officers.
The case was earlier before Karonga first grade magistrate’s Court. However, Karonga First Grade Magistrate George Longwe discharged the case as Kadzipatike was waiting for a consent order from the DPP to prosecute the three.
Kadzipatike on Wednesday confirmed the new hearing date and said his office has since served the officials with summons to appear before court on the said date.
“This case is starting afresh as the case was discharged in Karonga and the officers will have to plead guilty or not to the charges.
“I can confirm that the case is on as the court yesterday set July 17 as date of hearing. Our officers are now in Karonga to serve Paladin officers,” he said.
