By MUKWIMA CHILALA
THE Zambia Police yesterday summoned and interrogated KBN Television Station Manager Percy Chanda over the broadcast of an alleged audio conversation between State House special Assistant for Politics Levy Ngoma and Home Affairs Permanent Secretary, Joseph Akafumba.
And some stakeholders have described the action by the Police as an act of intimidation to the media.
It is alleged that the TV station broadcast an audio conversation between the two senior government officials, depicting their alleged involvement in the Democratic Party wrangles.
And after about five hours of interrogations, lawyers representing Mr Chanda and TV station Chief Executive Officer, said that they would soon issue fresh instructions to their client on the next course of action .
Mr Miracle Chungu of K-Mwale and Associates could however not divulge more information on the matter.
And Police spokesperson Rae Haamonga is yet to issue an official statement on the matter.
Meanwhile, some stakeholders have described the action by the Police as an intimidation of the media.
Former Ambassador to Ethiopia Emmanuel Mwamba was present at the Zambia Police Headquarters to offer solidarity to KBN Television as a former media practitioner.
Mr. Mwamba has called on the Police to instead concentrate on the details exposed by the audio that demonstrate that state institutions were being abused to fight political battles
Southern African Centre for the Constructive Resolution of Disputes (SACCORD) executive Director Boniface Chembe said the Police must not intimidate the media but instead protect them.
Mr. Chembe observed that it appears as though the media house was being intimidated over things that are already in public domain and that hopefully the summoning of the TV station would not be the beginning of the many acts of intimidation of the media to come.
And PF vice president Given Lubinda has observed that the actions by the police goes against the freedom of expression that the new dawn administration has been bragging about.
