Mast contemptuous as it faces liquidation

Mon, 10 Apr 2017 10:05:33 +0000

By Bennie Mundando  and Chikumbi Katebe

IT IS prejudicial and highly contemptuous for the Mast to continue canvassing matters involving the liquidation of the Post newspaper because the case is still active in the courts of law, lawyer Makebi Zulu has said. 

Meanwhile the Mast faces liquidation should they fail to pay up to K5m for illegal use of printing machinery and equipment including offices believed to belong to the Post Newspaper Limited (in Liquidation).

Post Newspaper Provisional Liquidator Lewis Mosho has accused Mast Newspaper owners Frank Sibbuku and Mutinta Mazoka M’membe of fraudulently converting and using property belonging to the Post (in Liquidation).

In a letter to the duo, Mr. Mosho charged that the K5 million was for the use of property belonging to the Post (in liquidation) which property was held without authority.

“The office of the provisional liquidator of the Post Newspapers Limited (in Liquidation) hereby demands from the you payments of the sim of K5m being the amount in value for the property belonging to the Post Newspapers (in liquidation) which property you have without authority of the Provisional Liquidator converted to your ownership, possession and use in the production and running the affairs of The Mast Newspapers,” Mr Mosho said.

He explained that the property which included motor vehicles, printing equipment, office equipment and leases/tenancies as well as buildings, which properties’ full details was known to The Mast and Oracle Media Production management.

“Should we not receive full value within 72 hours for the properties as hereby demanded, kindly be informed that, as creditor of The Mast Newspaper and Oracle Media Productions Limited, the Post Newspapers Limited (in Liquidation) shall petition for the winding-up of Oracle Media Production Limited/Mast Newspapers for failure to pay debts as they fall due as well as on grounds that it is just and equitable that you be wound-up for committing a fraud on the creditors of the Post Newspapers Limited (in Liquidation),” he said.

And Mr. Zulu warned against getting excited over the issue of the Post because it could lead to contempt of court if the paper became reckless.

“It is in public domain that the case involving the liquidation of the Post newspaper is still in court and so, those who comment on this matter must have a conscious that they do not make observations which may be prejudicial as they could be cited for contempt.

“Those who are itching to comment on this issue should wait until the matter is concluded or should ensure that their comments do not amount to committing contempt of court because that is a crime,” Mr. Zulu said.

Meanwhile PF Copperbelt provincial youth chairperson Nathan Chanda said it was wrong for the Mast newspaper to quote Mr. Phiri as a PF member and a human rights activist because he had never been, save for the fact that he was a party sympathizer during his time at the Copperbelt University (CBU).

“The Mast will stop at nothing but to manufacture titles of people they want to make statements in their paper in their quest to advance their own agenda and now they are using Mr. Phiri as a misguided political missile and he is following blindly but by the time he comes back to his senses, he will have been used, dumped, and rendered useless.

“There is nothing wrong with anyone making an opinion on any matter but Mr. Phiri is misplaced because he has gone on to attack the President who had nothing to do with the liquidation of the Post newspaper,” Mr. Chanda said.

He appealed to Mr. Phiri to be level-headed when discussing national matter to avoid being used as a cat’s pawn by people who would dump him soon after achieving their objective.

“He has attacked a lot of people including the MPs. He has also attacked all the media houses in Zambia which he says are owned by crooks save for the Mast. Whether he can substantiate his claims is another thing but my advice to him as someone I know at personal level is for the young man to take it easy,” he said.