By CHATULA KANGALI –

A WITNESS has told the Ndola magistrates’ court that suspended Copperbelt Police Chief Mary Tembo’s Toyota Cressida which she allegedly asked Grizzly Mining to repair was not a write-off.
Enock Sike, 38, a manager at Polite Motor Spares, told Ndola chief resident magistrate Paul Chisha that the Toyota Cressida F100 belonging to the accused that was taken to his garage for repair was not a ‘wreck.’
The vehicle, which was an old model, only needed to have its front suspension replaced.
The witness was responding to a question in cross-examination by defence lawyer Milner Katolo who wanted to know whether the accused’s vehicle could move after the repairs.
Tembo, 53, of house number 4, Bokafu Street in Ndola is charged with two counts of abuse of authority of office.
The vehicle was taken to his garage by one of the mechanics from her house for repair.
In September last year, an Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC) investigations officer, Chileshe Mulenga, went to his office and informed him that Tembo’s vehicle was under investigation and he needed to take it to Masala Police Station.
He tried to phone the owner of the vehicle to inform her about the new development but her phones were switched off.
“I later told the ACC officer to write a notice of collection of the vehicle which he did. He then took the vehicle to Masala Police Station,” Mr Mulenga said.
Mr Mulenga told the court that he was assigned by his boss Caroline Nkhanta to look for the Toyota Cressida which he found at Polite Auto Spares in Ndola.
Defence lawyers, however, objected to the application by the witness to render the vehicle as evidence because it was in police custody.
The State rejected the defence’s application arguing that the vehicle was an important exhibit and that there was need for prosecution.
Ruling on whether the vehicle should be admitted as evidence will be determined today as trial continues.