Four businessmen and a driver have appeared in the Lusaka Magistrates’ Court for allegedly assaulting and proposing violence against Minister of Justice Given Lubinda on Friday.

The five appeared before Chief Resident Magistrate Lameck Mwale and denied the charges.

Meanwhile, magistrate Mwale has granted the accused persons cash bail of K5,000 each, with two working sureties bound in a sum of K10,000.

In this matter Martin Mambwe, a 38-year-old driver of Kalingalinga is charged with assault occasioning actual bodily harm, whereas Patrick Mubanga, 40, of Zambia Railways area behind Intercity Bus Terminus, Major Chansa, 35, of Misisi, Moses Mulenga, 35, and Goodson Mwange, 45, of John Laing, all businessmen, as well as Mambwe, are charged with proposing violence or breaches of the law to assemblies.

In count one, it is alleged that Mambwe on July 12, this year, assulted Given Lubinda, thereby occasioning him actual bodily harm.

And in count two, it is alleged that on the same date, Mambwe, Mwange, Mubanga, Mulenga and Chansa whilst acting together, proposed violence to Given Lubinda by saying “we will beat you next time you step your foot in Kabwata Market”.

When the matter came up before magistrate Mwale for plea, Wednesday, the accused persons denied the charges.

After taking plea, their lawyer Aggrippa Malando applied for bail pending trial, saying his clients should be deemed innocent until the court proved them otherwise.

He said if the court granted them bail, the accused persons would abide by the conditions which would be prescribed to them.

Magistrate Mwale then granted each of the accused persons cash bail of K5,000 each with two working sureties bound in a sum of K10,000.

He added that the accused persons would remain in custody until they met the bail conditions.

The matter comes up on July 31 for trial.

And after the accused persons were taken to the holding cell within the court premises, they became unruly prompting some police officers to fire teargas in the holding cell.