POLITICIAN Edward Mumbi was yesterday taken to Kamwala Remand Prison after appearing in a Lusaka magistrate's court on three counts of being in possession of three motor vehicles valued at K250 million, properties suspected to be proceeds of crime.

Meanwhile, three MMD cadres Bowman Lusambo, Scorpion Kadobi and Chiwele Maimisa were also remanded in prison after they pleaded not guilty to three counts of assault.

All the accused persons were later bundled in the prison vehicle, commonly known as 'Kasalanga', and driven to Kamwala Remand Prison.

Mumbi did not have an opportunity to apply for bail because Magistrate Aridah Chulu, who was handling the matter, was not available in the afternoon.

Mumbi, 56, of house number 396 A/ 8/11 in Makeni first appeared before Chief Resident Magistrate Joshua Banda who allocated the matter to Ms Chulu.

Particulars are that Mumbi, between December 1, 2010 and November 30, this year, had in his possession motor vehicles, a Mercedes Benz, registration number ALC 6229, Nissan Navara, registration number ABT 5323 and a Mitsubishi Pajero, ALC 6336.

And Lusambo, 35, of Chamba Valley, Kadobi, 44, of Lusaka West, and Maimisa, 44, of Chilenje Township, all pleaded not guilty to three counts of assault occasioning actual bodily harm. In count one, the trio, on December 1, 2012, allegedly assaulted Richard Kachingwe, thereby occasioning him bodily harm.

The trio in count two on the same date did assault MMD national youth chairperson, Tobias Kafumukache and in the last count they allegedly assaulted MMD sympathiser Gregory Chifire.

They appeared before Magistrate Mwaka Mikalile who granted them bail of K5 million in their own recognisance, with two working sureties from well-established institutions, but they could not immediately meet the conditions.