GBM committed offence – witness

Sat, 01 Jul 2017 12:11:23 +0000

By CHARLES MUSONDA and JUSTINA MULENGA

GEOFFREY Bwalya Mwamba committed an offence by threatening to go for President Edgar Lungu’s throat, a State witness told the Lusaka Magistrates’ court yesterday.

Testifying in a case where the UPND vice president is charged for proposing violence against the Head of State, Lusaka lawyer Celestine Mukandila said he felt Mr. Lungu’s life was in danger because Mwamba was a prominent political figure with a huge following.

Mr. Mukandila, 27, who is also a PF media committee member, said he did not know if Mwamba’s statement was a figure of speech.

He said he did not have any personal grudge against Mwamba and the case against the latter was not politically motivated.

“From my interpretation he (Mwamba) committed an offence. To my recollection he said ‘Edgar Lungu if you are listening now I am going to come for your throat. He said he would not rest until he (President Lungu) was out of State House,” Mr. Mukandila said before Magistrate Thandose Chabala.

He said he was not happy with Mwamba’s statement because it encouraged people to become violent against PF members.

Mr. Mukandila said on March 2, 2016 he was driving along Addis Ababa drive towards Manda Hill when he heard Mwamba’s threats against President Lungu on Hot FM news between 17:30 and 18:30 hours.

He said Mwamba’s statement urged UPND supporters not to hesitate to attack President Lungu and PF members.

“From that time I decided to call Mr. Frank Bwalya, being chairperson of the PF information committee. As I called Mr. Bwalya, I advised him to listen to the news…such threats were a danger to national security,” Mr. Mukandila said.

He said Mr. Bwalya reported the matter to Lusaka Central police station the next morning, after which he (Mr, Mukandila) was called to give a statement.

Later, public prosecutor Zalila Sakala applied for an adjournment to allow Mr. Mukandila listen to the recording but defence lawyers led by Keith Mweemba objected to the application on grounds that the witness could not talk about the recording he did not initiate.

“This witness can’t competently talk about the recording. He is incompetent to produce the recording and evidence remains a realm of hearsay. This court can’t be invited to listen to the recording until produces,” Mr. Mweemba said after which the matter proceeded to cross examination.