By GRACE CHAILE-LESOETSA
HUNGRY Lion limited has denied serving a Lusaka resident food which had maggots.
The company contended that when it inspected the picture of the chicken allegedly bought from its premises, it was noticed that the alleged maggots were only at a specific portion of the food and did not appear to have been imbedded in the food which makes the whole claim suspicious.
This is a matter in which Ms Bertha Mwale has sued Hungry Lion Limited in the Lusaka High Court seeking compensation of K1 million for allegedly serving her chicken and chips called “the food ”which had maggots.
Ms Bwale wants the court to order Hungry Lion Limited to award her general damages, damages for mental anguish, stress, in-convenience, costs and any other relief that the court may deem fit.
She claims she reported the matter to the Lusaka City Council (LCC) and later the ministry of Health Food and Drugs Control Laboratory which conducted laboratory tests on the food.
She stated that the results confirmed the existence of maggots in the food, after a foreign matter identification and bacteriological analysis was duly performed.
In its defence, Hungry Lion limited admits that Ms Bwale bought the chicken and chips at its outlet at Manda Hill on the material day but claim that she did not consume the food from its premises as is implied as she carried it away after being served.
It stated that when Ms Bwale phoned to inform the outlet of the alleged incident, she was asked to come to the premises with a pay-forward taxi and was subsequently attended to.
Hungry Lion Limited said the plaintiff later returned with inspectors from the City Council, who then conducted an inspection of the process of production of the food from beginning to end.
And the inspectors concluded that it was not possible for maggots to survive such a system.
It stated that chickens and chips are transported and stored in a frozen and only defrosted when being cooked.
And they are then cooked in bulk at 141degrees Celsius temperature and it will invite the court to conduct an inspection of the same.
Hungry Lion Limited stated that it has never seen the results as claimed by the complaint that confirmed the existence of maggots in the food, after a foreign matter identification and bacteriological analysis was duly performed even though it requested a copy.
It stated that the alleged effects of the food on the plaintiff could not possibly have resulted from consuming the chicken and chips.
“The defendant denies that the plaintiff has suffered the damage, loss and income she claims to have suffered as stated in paragraph 9 of her claim and will urge that the relief sought be dismissed with costs,” Hungry Lion said.
Hungry Lion denies serving ‘maggots’ to customer
