THERE was drama at the Lusaka Magistrates’ Court yesterday when Konkola Copper Mines (KCM) provisional liquidator Milingo Lungu appeared at court only to be told that his docket was missing.

Milingo, who appeared at court in the company of his lawyers Sakwiba Sikota, Makebi Zulu and Moses Chitambala, was recently arrested by the Drug Enforcement Commission and charged with theft and money laundering involving K110.4 million and US$250,000.00.

Lungu, 43, has also been charged for obtaining US$2.2 million by false pretense.

He was released on police bond and ordered by the prosecution to appear in court on October 12, 2021.

However, when he appeared at court yesterday, the prosecutor in the matter, Lewis Kandele, called the defence lawyers outside the courtroom to inform them that the indictment in the matter was not ready.

The defence counsel later returned in court and wondered why the prosecutor was not before court when it was time to allocate the matter.

Sikota addressed the court and lamented that it was not right for the state to be absent after asking their client to appear in court.

“Our client was given this date to appear before the court. He has come as ordered by the state; it is not right for the state not to be present and to explain to the court as to why we are not proceeding,” he said.

Another prosecutor who was present, Stuyvesant Malambo, told the court that Kandele only showed up to advise that the case was not ready.

And in response, chief resident magistrate Dominic Makaliche said since the matter was not yet before court, he would leave it to the prosecution and the defence counsel to talk and iron out their challenges.