Police in Lusaka have arrested a deputy director of a company called Food Agency Zambia, an accomplice to Hendricks Nyambe who is accused of swindling ADD president Charles Milupi’s maize.

Mercy Phiri who had been on the run is jointly charged with Nyambe for allegedly stealing Milupi’s maize valued at K656,040.

Phiri 27, was arrested at Levy Junction Mall on Monday after she attempted to swindle a Chinese national by saying that she had Soya beans worth K200,000 when in fact not.

In this matter, it is alleged that Hendricks Nyambe, a Director of Food Agency Zambia and his deputy, Phiri, on March 7, 2018 in Nkeyema district did steal 312,040 kilograms of white maize belonging to Milupi.

When the matter came up, Tuesday, Nyambe was not present in court but Phiri was.

The state made an application that Phiri is transferred from police custody and taken to prison as they waited for plea to take place on June 21.

Phiri interrupted saying she wanted her lawyer to be present in court.

“I’m requesting that my lawyer can be here because I wasn’t told that I will be here,” she said.

However magistrate Nsunge Chanda reminded her that she had been on the run.

She said since the matter was coming up on June 21, Phiri had enough time to inform her lawyer.

“You have just been arrested. You were on the run when the other person (Nyambe) was apprehended. Since this matter is coming up on June 21, they have made an application because you can’t be staying at the police [station] up to 21st . They don’t cook nsima at police. So they are asking me to sign a warrant that you be kept at prison so that you should be joined to the co-accused on the 21st. You have all this time to inform your lawyer. The matter will come up on June 21, thats when the charge will be read to you while the other person is present,” she said.

Magistrate Chanda adjourned the matter to June 13 for mention and June 21 for plea as Phiri was remanded.