Former Special Assistant to the President for Press and Public Relations Amos Chanda, his wife Mable and his sister in-law Ruth Nakaundi have appealed against the seven-month jail term imposed on them on Wednesday.

The convicts have also applied for bail pending hearing of their appeal at the High Court.

In their notice of appeal, they argue that Ndola chief resident magistrate Dominic Makalicha, who sat in Lusaka, erred in law and fact when he convicted them of the offence of use of insulting language and obstruction of Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC) officers.

They contend that the magistrate erred because he convicted them when there was no sufficient evidence tendered by the prosecution warranting the conviction.

“The learned magistrate misdirected himself and erred in law and fact when he rendered a custodial sentence of seven months,” their appeal reads.

They have further submitted that the magistrate erred in law and fact when he avoided the evidence of the defence and cross-examination to uphold his final ruling at no case to answer stage.

“The trial court erred in law and fact when it proceeded to convict the appellants based on a charge sheet that was amended,” the notice further reads.

The court also fined the trGET MORE NEWS UPDATES io K135 each for using insulting language on the ACC officers.

Zambia Daily Mail