The defense in alleged Oman slavery deal trial says it intends to make an application of sending a private investigator to the Middle East country to establish facts about evidence rendered by first State witness.

Speaking before Chief Resident Magistrate Madalitso Khoswe Chimwaza during Thursday’s hearing, one of the defense lawyers Sylvester Ayuba James asked the court not to discharge the witness after cross examination for the defense to make the applications.

He said: “Our independent investigator who will be traveling to Oman should bring facts on the ground should be allowed to bring those facts so that we can use that report to confront the witness.”

Ayuba James added that the other application is to do with preservation order of gadgets that were used by police to capture fingerprints.

In an addition, the defense wants an independent doctor to examine the state witness regarding physical trauma she is alleged to have suffered in Oman.

“We want an independent doctor who has some forensic background to examine the witness who an alleged victim in the offenses that said to have been committed by the accused persons.

“The purpose of that is to balance the information that has been put on record from another doctor who suggests that the witness is physically traumatised because of persistent abuse in the anal part of her body,” Ayuba James said.

Meanwhile, the court has for second time denied releasing the accused persons on bail saying the witness needs to wind up her testimony.

Jefferson Luwa is one of the defense lawyers and had this to say on the court’s determination.

“It was simply a reminder to the court that the court will made a ruling on bail application once we finish cross examination, so our point was that we have done cross examination and the remaining part of it isn’t any adverse to our case, to that extent the court should consider releasing the accused on bail,” said Luwa.

The attempted trafficking in person case involves eight suspects including three police officers, one medical officer, one immigration officer and three businesspersons.

The accused persons are; Tinenenji Toppie Ebbex Nsaku, Goodson Makala, Aisha Ali, Chancy Namaheya, Douglas Banda, Killion Kathakamba, Happiness Nkhoma and Manase Robster Nyirenda.
Hearing of the matter has been adjourned to October 10, 2022.