PATRIOTS for Economic Progress president Sean Tembo has pleaded not guilty to using insulting language when he compared the intervention to sale cheaper ZNS mealie meal in the wake of escalating prices of the commodity prices to masturbation.

The outspoken businessman has been charged with use of insulting language which he allegedly uttered on October 17 this year, the eve of National Day of Prayer, Fasting, Repentance and Reconciliation.

Allegations are that on the material day, the accused said “Bally is selling a few bags of ZNS mealie meal using Shoprite, hoping to create a perception of low price is equal to masturbation”.

The sentiments are alleged to likely provoke Abel Mashowo, who reported the case, to break the law or commit any offence against Tembo.

When the case was called today, a magistrate readout the charged and asked the accused whether he understood it.

In response, Mr Tembo responded in the affirmative and pleaded not guilty to the charge.

The court adjourned the case was adjourned to next month for commencement of trial.

(Mwebantu, Friday,  8th December, 2023)

THE State, through the Director of Public Prosecutions, Gilbert Phiri, has filed a notice to appeal against the five months sentence imposed of Chishimba Kambwili after he was found guilty of promoting hate speech by uttering tribal remarks.

On Thursday, Mr Kambwili, a Patriotic Front member of the central committee, was sentenced to five months imprisonment with hard labour.

This was after the Kasama Magistrate’s Court found him guilty of the offence of expressing or showing hatred, ridicule, or contempt for persons because of tribe or place of origin.

After being hailed, the politician appealed against the verdict and was later released on bail pending hearing of his appeal against the sentence.

But the DPP has filed a cross appeal seeking to challenge the five months jail term imposed on the outspoken former Roan MP.

Mr Phiri feels the sentence was too lenient and that when his application is being heard, he wants to be present in court..

“I, the above named appellant(DPP) , hereby give notice that I desire to appeal to the High Court against the sentence of the accused person.

I desire to be present when the court considers the appeal,” the notice of appeal, which has been circulated online, reads in part.

(Mwebantu, Thursday, 7th December, 2023)

THE Lusaka Magistrate’s Court has dismissed an application for private prosecution of Patriotic Front president Miles Sampa and secretary general Morgan Ng’ona.

This was after the Director of Public Prosecutions Gilbert Phiri has refused to grant consent for the private prosecution of Mr Sampa and Mr Ng’ona.

“I regret to advise that consent to prosecute this matter cannot be granted because of current civil proceedings in the High Court of judicature of Zambia bearing on the same subject matter,” Mr Phiri said in a letter responding to the lawyers.

This is in a case Makebi Zulu and Advocates applied to the DPP seeking consent for the private prosecution of Mr Sampa and Mr Ng’ona.

The complaint to prosecute was initiated by, Raphael Nakacinda, of the faction PF group who wants Mr Sampa and Ng’ona to be prosecuted for perjury, attempts to commit an offense and forgery.

It is alleged that on October 26, this year, Sampa filed an affidavit in the principal registry of the Lusaka High Court purporting that he was PF president and a letter purpoted to have been issued to the Registrar of Societies.

The complainants contend that the letter Sampa presented to the Registry was a forgery, among other allegations.

But when the case came up today, lawyers asked that the case he adjourned because they had not yet received communication from the DPP over the application for consent to privately prosecute Mr Sampa an Mr Ng’ona.

However, Magistrate Keegan Litiya informed the lawyers that he was in receipt of the letter from the DPP and it was already placed on the file.

But defence lawyer Jonas Zimba indicated that he had not seen the letter in question.

Mr Litiya indicated that the DPP had not granted permission to prosecute the matter.

The court then dismissed the application for private prosecution by the private lawyers.

But the defence lawyers have challenged the dismissal.

(Mwebantu, Thursday, 7th December, 2023)