The Lusaka Magistrates’ Court has dismissed a case in which Lusaka lawyer Nchima Nchito State Counsel was accused of personating an advocate of The Post Newspaper in Liquidation.

This was after the complainant, former Post employee Abel Mboozi, failed to show up for the hearing.

When the case came up before magistrate Humphrey Chitalu, Nchima’s lawyer Musa Mwenye urged the court to dismiss the case as the complainant and his lawyer were not present.

Magistrate Chitalu then dismissed the case for non appearance of the complainant.

“So the complainant having failed to appear notwithstanding that he was given sufficient time,this case is dismissed for non appearance of the complainant for hearing,” said magistrate Chitalu.

It was alleged that Nchito, between November 1, 2016 and February 2017, in Lusaka with intent to defraud, filed a court process in cause number 2017/HPC/0059, thereby falsely representing himself as an advocate genuinely appointed by The Post Newspaper Limited in Liquidation.

Meanwhile, two lawyers have appeared in the same court for theft.

Jeah Mandaika and Mwila Chibiliti have appeared alongside an accountant manager Clement Wonani for stealing K2,000,000.00, the property of Laico Zambia Limited.

The trio could not take plea as they raised some preliminary issues in which they argued that the indictment was defective as they did not appear in court in line with how the names have been drafted on the indictment.

They also said being tried over theft was an abuse of the court process as they were acquitted on the same charges in a different court and that there was a similar case against them in the High Court relating to the directors of LAICO.

The case has been adjourned to Wednesday for the prosecution’s response.