Magistrate rebukes State for lacking information in Munir hate speech case

By LUCY PHIRI

LUSAKA magistrate Amy Masoja has blasted the State for wasting the Court’s time by bringing witnesses with no ingredients of what they knew about the case before court, in a matter involving Independent Member of Parliament for Lumezi, Munir Zulu.

Magistrate Masoja said the State was wasting her precious time sitting and listening to witnesses without any ingredients to the matter in which Mr Zulu has been arraigned before the court for hate speech.

This was after a State Prosecutor informed the court that they had only lined up two witnesses for the day.

In this matter, Zulu pleaded not guilty to expressing or showing hatred, ridicule or contempt for persons because of race. Zulu, 35, of Meanwood Ndeke is facing one count of Expressing or showing hatred, ridicule or contempt for persons because of race Contrary to Section 70(1) of the Penal Code Chapter 87 of the Laws of Zambia. It is alleged that Zulu on March 28, 2023, in Lusaka, uttered words in which he said,” I am a villager from Lumezi, but i can tell you that villagers from Lumezi are more intelligent than villagers from Bweengwa” which expression shows hatred, ridicule or contempt against a group of persons namely the villagers from Bweengwa. 

When the matter came up at the Lusaka magistrate court for commencement of trial, the State said it was ready to proceed with two witnesses.

And Mr. Bob Mwelwa Museka, 51, a lawyer and Chief electoral officer at Electoral Commission of Zambia (ECZ), testified that in August 2022 he was at ECZ when he received a letter from the office of Inspector General of Police seeking the confirmation of Munir Zulu as Member of Parliament.

Mr. Museka told the court that he went through the commission document and confirmed the status of Zulu being Lumezi Constituency Independent MP in Eastern Province.

And Mr. Ignatius Kambe, 51, a police officer in charge at Long Acres Police told the court that Zulu was charged with the offense of hate speech.

He said after being released, Zulu went out to chat with the family and other people outside the premise.

However, magistrate Masoja expressed displeasure on the witnesses brought to court, stating that the state only wasted her time sitting the whole time. Magistrate Masoja has since adjourned the matter to October 4,2023 and warned the state to bring witnesses with ingredients to the charge.

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