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BY LUCY PHIRI 

PRESIDENT Hakainde Hichilema has said he strongly believes that God used someone with the ‘badest’ hear as a tool to imprison him for a crime he did not commit so that he (President Hichilema could live to return and appreciate prison life.

President Hichilema says he believes it was not former President Lungu who brought him to Chimbkaila for a crime he did not commit but that God had only used someone with a bad heart as a tool to incarcerate him at Chimbokaila, later moved to Lilayi before being transferred to Mukobeko Maximum Prison.  

Addressing inmates during the continued week of the UPND humanitarian works, President Hichilema said it was by God’s grace that he was not killed in 2017 when he faced treason chargers, because according to him, former President Lungu had taken him to prison to teach him (Mr Hichilema) a lesson

“Having me in jail was God’s decision. I believe that it was not even Lungu (former President Lungu) who brought me here (Chimbokaila) Lungu was just a tool God used to bring me here.God chose someone with the ‘badest’ heart to bring me here, to take me to Lilayi and to Mukobeko (Maximum Prison). He thought he was teaching me a lesson…he thought he was punishing me,” President Hichilema said.

And President Lungu has directed Ministry of Justice to revise the criminal justice system and reduce the time to dispose of criminal cases.

President Hichilema said cell 13 and 16 was where he was held during his treason case, which he said he was almost killed.

And President Hichilema has directed Mlambo Haimbe, the Justice Minister should use the office given to him to reform the justice system.

He said most inmates at the Zambia Correctional Service commonly known as Chimbokaila were there as a result of delay and slow pace cases were disposed of.

He was speaking at Lusaka Central Correctional Facility in Lusaka yesterday when he visited Cell 13 and 16 during his ten days tour on two years of the UPND in power.

He said he could not forget his fellow inmates, the reason he had removed the death penalty.

President Hichilema stated that before an arrest of any person, there should be an investigation until found guilty, and when one is arrested in the morning, in the afternoon bond should be given to them.

“ The issue of missing files in court, what are we doing making one not to appear because of that, this should not continue in the new dawn, if court is not ready the file is missing, give them bond or bail and whenever you are ready bring them back, am talking about those bailable cases,” he said.

He also warned the Patriotic Front who said had started to regroup that they should stop because their days were numbered. “We did not arrest the PF thugs on their wrong doing but this does not mean we are not capable. We shall come for you,” President Hichilema vowed.

The President donated two cows, chickens bags of mealie meal, 1kg of sugar to each inmates, containers of cooking oil, bags of rice, and bars of soap, toothpaste to all the 1,400 inmates.

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By NATION REPORTER 

THE consent judgment that has seen the State awarding a whooping K6.4 million to each of the UPND cadres who were arrested and detained for treason along with President Hakainde Hichilema while in opposition is nothing but a criminal act meant to defraud Zambians, Kelvin Bwalya Fube has said.

Mr Bwalya, the leader of Zambia Must Prosper (ZMP) says the consent judgement entered into by the Attorney General, Mulilo Kabesha to compensate the five UPND cadres K6.4 million who were detained for treason in 2017 was not only day light robbery but meant to disingenuously and fraudulently empower undeserving cadres. 

Speaking at a media briefing yesterday, Mr. Bwalya said President Hichilema and his co-accused were not acquitted in that treason case but were discharged through a nolle prosequi and could not therefore be eligible to be compensated.

He said according to the laws of Zambia, a person could only be compensated when they were acquitted, and where they successfully sue the state and prove their case for malicious prosecution by the state.

Mr. Bwalya further said a nolle prosequi was not an acquittal because government or the Director of Public Prosecution (DPP) would bring back the case if evidence so permits, fresh investigations were instituted and fresh witnesses were found.

He also warned Mr. Kabesha, the Attorney General, to reconsider the compensation that was being proposed for the treason case, saying he is a student of law and he ought to do the right thing.

Mr. Bwalya said Zambia was a very poor country for people to start wasting tax payers’ money by falsely compensating each other at the detriment of the general citizenry.

He said what made the compensation demand even more suspicious was that the UPND members that was arrested in the treason case did not even sue government. He said if they did, people should know which judge sat to evaluate the case and declared that these people were entitled to K6.4 million as compensation.  

Meanwhile Mr. Bwalya said there were a lot of scandals surrounding the presidency including the abuse of law to compensate close associates to the President. He urged Zambians closely start scrutinising and make their own judgement.

Mr. Hichilema (then as opposition leader) and five others, in May of 2021, commenced legal action in the Lusaka High Court asking the State to pay compensatory damages equivalent in value to monies lost and the property that was looted, damaged and destroyed at his home. This was during what he termed as an unlawful operation to arrest him on charges of treason carried out on April 10 and 11 of 2017.

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ANOTHER senior member of the Socialist Party (SP), Max Kasabi, the Western Province chairman has announced his resignation from the opposition political party citing commercialization of internal politics and unmet expectations from the Fred M’membe top leadership.  

And Mr Kasabi has disclosed that his resignation from his position and terminatation of his membership with the Socialist party has left the opposition party in Western Province in disarray.

Resignations have continued rocking the Socialist Party after Frank Bwalya, the former spokesperson of the opposition party decided to terminate his membership with the party just about two months ago.

Mr Kasabi, the former boss of the Socialist Party of Western Province said he was leaving the opposition party because the leadership had completely failed to meet his expectations.

Mr Kasabi said the he had realized that his political ambitions did not fit into the style of leadership the M’membe led political party was providing and practicing.

He said he had joined the SP after being invited by Dr M’membe and had voluntarily accepted the honour to be part of the revolutionary party but had just discovered that he was on the wrong side of politics.

In his terse resignation letter addressed to the General Secretary Cosmas Msumali dated September 3rd, 2023, Mr Kasabi said he was resigning as Provincial chairman of the Socialist Party for Western Province and at the same time terminating his membership with the opposition party.

“I can confirm that I have resigned from my position as chairman of the Socialist Party for Western Province and I have with immediate effect terminated my membership. I would want to protect my political career and ambition. You know in some parties, politics has been commercialized. It is a business. So I am not fitting and I have decided to take a break,” Mr Kasabi said.

And Mr Kasabi has claimed that the Socialist Party in Western Province would be crumbling following his departure because the structures in the region were not happy with the culture and style of leadership that was providing.

He stated that his departure had caused a lot of anxieties among members and that there was a likelihood that the Socialist party could disintegrate as many leaders were unhappy with the top leadership.

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By LUCY PHIRI

LUSAKA magistrate Amy Masoja has blasted the State for wasting the Court’s time by bringing witnesses with no ingredients of what they knew about the case before court, in a matter involving Independent Member of Parliament for Lumezi, Munir Zulu.

Magistrate Masoja said the State was wasting her precious time sitting and listening to witnesses without any ingredients to the matter in which Mr Zulu has been arraigned before the court for hate speech.

This was after a State Prosecutor informed the court that they had only lined up two witnesses for the day.

In this matter, Zulu pleaded not guilty to expressing or showing hatred, ridicule or contempt for persons because of race. Zulu, 35, of Meanwood Ndeke is facing one count of Expressing or showing hatred, ridicule or contempt for persons because of race Contrary to Section 70(1) of the Penal Code Chapter 87 of the Laws of Zambia. It is alleged that Zulu on March 28, 2023, in Lusaka, uttered words in which he said,” I am a villager from Lumezi, but i can tell you that villagers from Lumezi are more intelligent than villagers from Bweengwa” which expression shows hatred, ridicule or contempt against a group of persons namely the villagers from Bweengwa. 

When the matter came up at the Lusaka magistrate court for commencement of trial, the State said it was ready to proceed with two witnesses.

And Mr. Bob Mwelwa Museka, 51, a lawyer and Chief electoral officer at Electoral Commission of Zambia (ECZ), testified that in August 2022 he was at ECZ when he received a letter from the office of Inspector General of Police seeking the confirmation of Munir Zulu as Member of Parliament.

Mr. Museka told the court that he went through the commission document and confirmed the status of Zulu being Lumezi Constituency Independent MP in Eastern Province.

And Mr. Ignatius Kambe, 51, a police officer in charge at Long Acres Police told the court that Zulu was charged with the offense of hate speech.

He said after being released, Zulu went out to chat with the family and other people outside the premise.

However, magistrate Masoja expressed displeasure on the witnesses brought to court, stating that the state only wasted her time sitting the whole time. Magistrate Masoja has since adjourned the matter to October 4,2023 and warned the state to bring witnesses with ingredients to the charge.

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Old time Man City: Football betting company 1xBet reveals 5 superstars who played for the world’s strongest club before the Abu Dhabi United Group Photo caption: City before their victorious 1956 FA Cup final. Goalkeeper Bert Trautmann’s neck is okay here, but he’ll finish game with fracture. Even 15 years ago, no one could imagine […]

By SHARON ZULU

GOVERNMENT has injected K300 million into Public Service Micro Finance Company (PSMFC) for the acquisition of farming inputs and all forms of livestock and other mechanisation equipment.

Announcing the development, President Hakainde Hichilema says the loans would be offered at only 9 percent interest rates.

The Head of State said the funds have been injected into the PSMFC to ensure an immediate uptake and increased agricultural production in the 2023/2024 farming season.

President Hichilema said for the first time, men and women in uniform had also been given access to the empowerment funds.

“Your government, through the Public Service Micro Finance Company (PSMFC) has increased funding for loans to public service workers, specifically for the acquisition of farming inputs, all forms of livestock, and other mechanisation equipment. These loans are offered at just 9% interest per annum.”

“We have injected an initial K300 million into the PSMFC to ensure an immediate uptake and an increased agricultural production in the coming farming season. 

For the first time, our brave men and women in uniform have also been given access to these empowerment funds,” President Hichilema said.

Presdent Hichilema urged the beneficiaries of the facilities to consult widely and acquire the correct farming materials, as government was working to increase agriculture production across the country.

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THE murder case trial in which army officer Nigel Mwaba is accused of killing his lover doctor Tasila Tembo will start afresh following the removal of the Judge who was handling the case which had even reached Judgement stage. The matter has to start afresh before Lusaka High Court because Judge Wilfred Muma, who was […]

FORMER President Edgar Lungu’s political advisor Zumani Zimba has pleaded not guilty to aiding two people in engaging in terrorism acts during gassing incidents which rocked the country in 2020. In this matter, Zimba, who is also a lecturer, is jointly charged with male nurse Portipher Gwai and businessesmen Given Phiri and Marlone Banda. The […]

GOVERNMENT has proposed introduction of a law that will ensure that anyone who steals livestock, such as cow, is denied bail when arrested in connection with stock theft. This follows Cabinet’s plans to amend some sections of the penal code in relation to stock Theft. Last Wednesday, Cabinet, in line with the approval to amend […]

A new study showing the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic and mitigation strategies used to manage the virus on emergency department (ED) visits in British Columbia can help with future planning. The study is published in the Canadian Medical Association Journal (CMAJ).