By CHARLES MUSONDA
PATRIOTIC Front (PF) cadre Innocent Kalimanshi yesterday failed to appear in the Lusaka Magistrates’ Court for the case he is facing one count of defaming Home Affairs Minister Stephen Kampyongo.
Kalimanshi, 40, who is also a businessman of house number 2 Leopards Hill Road in Lusaka, was supposed to take plea before Magistrate Felix Kaoma but when the case was called he was not in court.
Later his surety Edwin Moyo told Mr. Kaoma that Kalimanshi was absent because he was involved in a road traffic accident on Sunday and is receiving treatment, after which he presented to court the accused person’s certificate of admission to an unnamed medical facility.
The court then gave Kalimanshi a benefit of doubt and adjourned the matter to this Friday January 8, 2021 for plea.
In this case, particulars of offence are that on November 8, 2020 in Lusaka, Kalimanshi unlawfully published a defamatory matter affecting Mr. Kampyongo in form of a WhatsApp message.
Kalimanshi is alleged to have said that when President Lungu decided to drop one position of PF national youth chairman from Mr. Kampyongo and gave it to Kasama Central member of Parliament Kelvin Sampa, the minister was annoyed and sent him (Kalimanshi) to start saying bad things against Mr. Sampa.
The accused person is also alleged to have said that when he was arrested for assault and was in custody, Mr. Kampyongo instructed the police to deny him bond and that the minister took a sack of sausages to criminal investigations officer a Mr. Musonda.
Kalimanshi is also accused of saying that when he was in Johannesburg, South Africa, Mr. Kampyongo sent some unknown people to kill him on unknown dates. On Sunday Kalimanshi posted on social media a picture of him seated on a sofa with a blood stained bandage on his leg
