The amount of money that our courts demand when granting bail are ridiculous, says All Peoples Congress president Nason Msoni.

Speaking at Lusaka Magistrates’ Court shortly after the release of New Labour Party leader Fresher Siwale, Thursday, Msoni said it was ridiculous that the courts were demanding large amounts of money when granting bail.

“I think the ridiculous amounts that our courts are demanding, for example K30,000, K40,000, are these courts coming from Jupiter or some planet somewhere that they are completely out of reality to know what’s obtaining in terms of the economic conditions of our citizens in this country? This is totally and absolutely rubbish and uncalled for! The courts must be part and parcel of this environment that they are operating in,” Msoni said.

He said the country was struggling with lawlessness because its leadership had failed to respect the Constitution.

“The challenge we face in this country is a moral upright leadership. We are grappling with lawlessness because we have a leadership that has failed to respect the Constitution of the land. Our judicial system has collapsed evident in the manner in which they have treated Mr Siwale’s bail conditions. For example, where can a villager in the village get a director to sign his bail conditions come from? I think let us be realistic. When we set conditions, when we demand for conditions, let us evaluate the level and stage at which our citizens are at,” said Msoni.