By JULIUS PHIRI-
FIVE traffic police officers from Chipata Central Police Station yesterday pleaded not guilty to three counts of corruption charges in a Chipata Magistrate Court.
The five, all sergeants by rank who took plea before magistrate Petronellah Mulenga, are alleged to have involved themselves in corrupt practices on September 13, last year along Airport Road in Chipata.
The five are Felix Chalamba, 39, of plot number 4911 Kapata Township, Cletus Lungu, 34, of plot D 64 Mthiransembe, Malumo Sitwala, 40, of house number G 94 Fifth Street Kapata, Abigail Samatunga, 25, and Exhildah Kabanda, 34, of Plot Number 73 Moth.
In the first count, particulars of the offence are that the five on September 13, last year abused their authority by releasing an unregistered and overloaded motor vehicle at a check point.
In the second count, the five on the same date are alleged to have corruptly solicited K180 from Samuel Phiri and actually received K60 cash as an inducement for them not to charge him with a traffic offence.
In count three, the officers were allegedly found in joint possession of money amounting to K3, 000 in a motor vehicle registration number ALL 7523 suspected of being proceeds of crime
Ferdinand Jere from Ferd Jere and Company is representing Samatunga and Kabanda while John Phiri, a senior legal counsel from Legal Aid Board is representing Lungu, Sitwala and Chalamba.
The court has set June 5, for mention and July 7 and 8 as dates for trial.