The state has urged the Children’s Court to maintain custody of a 16-year-old boy accused of killing a security guard, insisting on a thorough safety assessment before considering his release on bail back into the community.
The teenager from Lusaka’s Woodlands area, a grade 10 student, pleaded not guilty to murder before High Court judge Mwamba Chanda.
The incident allegedly occurred on December 31, 2023, at Manda Hill shopping mall when the juvenile reportedly struck EnocK Chanda while attempting to flee after hitting a parked Toyota Allion in the car park. According to police reports, Chanda tried to intervene by closing the gate to hold the boy accountable, but the teenager, unable to stop his speeding Toyota Alphard, allegedly struck the security guard deliberately.
In seeking bail for the child, his lawyer Robert Siulapwa referenced Section 73(2) of the Children’s Code Act no. 12 of 2022, highlighting the time spent in custody since apprehension as grounds for consideration.
However, the State countered, expressing concerns about the child’s welfare and the seriousness of the offense, which could provoke retaliation from the deceased’s relatives unfamiliar with legal proceedings.
Judge Chanda ruled that Social Welfare child inspector Nosiku Situmbeko conduct an assessment to determine the child’s safety within the community, involving interviews with the deceased’s family, community authorities, and the child’s family. The decision regarding bail will be contingent upon Situmbeko’s assessment of the absence of danger posed by or to the child.
The case is adjourned to May 9 for trial proceedings to begin.
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