By PERPETUAL SICHIKWENKWE –

THE Lusaka Magistrate court has ordered for a trial to establish whether two of the four conmen accused of masquerading as law enforcement officers are of fixed abode to warrant the court to grant them bail.
Emmanuel Chileya a police officer of Kanyama police post, Mailoni Mushala, Kelly Czenry and Henry Nyirenda were  arrested for masquerading as law enforcement officers.
They are alleged to have extorted money from non-Zambians by pretending to be Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC) and immigration officers.
The four were found in possession of Immigration, Police and Anti-Corruption Commission identity cards which they allegedly used in their illegal activities.
Five of the extortion counts they are facing are triable by the High Court while the other three are by the magistrate court but the accused have since pleaded not to guilty to those before the lower court.
After they took plea in the last three counts, the four applied for bail but magistrate Humphrey Chitalu reserved ruling to a later date to enable the state respond to the accused persons request for bail.
When the matter came up yesterday, the State objected to the first accused Mushala and Czenry to be granted bail on grounds that they are of no fixed abode.
One of their defence lawyer’s Nicholas Chanda insisted that his clients were of fixed abode as such they qualify to be bailed.
Testifying before Mr Chitalu, Humphrey Musonda the arresting officer told the court that Mushala and Czenry were of no fixed abode.
Mr Musonda a chief inspector of Chelston Police explained that during the investigations of the alleged offences, the four confirmed to police officers that they were of no fixed abode.
Mushala had taken them to Linda Township where he showed them a girlfriend’s house and told them that he was just squatting with her.
Mr Musonda alleged that Mushala also showed them two lodges in Linda and Chawama townships where he sometimes spent nights as well as night clubs.
He said Czenry also took them to Chileya’s house where they found a maid who informed the police that it was not his house.
Mr Musonda said Czenry’s lawyer confirmed to them that he was of no fixed abode as his house he had remained with his wife after they went on separation.
He said Czenry also told them that he spent nights in his Corona vehicle registration number ABF 7271 and even challenged them to ask his friends who would confirm that he was of no fixed abode.
Mr Chitalu however, granted bail to Chileya and Nyirenda in the sum of K8,000 each with two working sureties from Government.