Maureen Mabonga To Know Her Fate On May 7
By Mast Reporter
A LUSAKA magistrates’ court has set May 7 as the date for judgment in the case involving Patriotic Front (PF) Mfuwe Member of Parliament Maureen Mabonga, who is facing two counts of seditious practices.
Senior resident magistrate Trevor Kasanda is expected to deliver his judgment after the close of the case by both the prosecution and the defence.
In the first count, it was alleged that between May 25 and May 28, 2024, in Lusaka, Mabonga made remarks deemed seditious.
In this case Mabonga pleaded not guilty to two counts of seditious practices contrary to the laws of Zambia.
It is alleged in Count One that Mabonga on a date unknown but between May 25, 2024 and May 28, 2024 in Lusaka uttered seditious words: “Do you want us to be moving with guns? Start killing each other? Is this where we are going? Is this what we want as Zambians? Because we can do it.
“Today it is Jay Jay that has been abducted. Tomorrow it is another person and you want us to sit back and relax… After all, you got power. We don’t understand why people are still bitter. Country men and women, we are going to fight. If it is the fight they want, we are going to fight and we are ready to fight” among other words to incite violence or any offence prejudicial to public order or in disturbance of the public peace.
Earlier, the court found her with a case to answer and put her on defence after the State proved their case beyond reasonable doubts.
In her defence, Mabonga explained that she never committed any crime by defending her fellow opposition leaders from threats allegedly issued by the ruling UPND.
She said she watched the videos on Facebook where former president Edgar Lungu was allegedly being attacked and insulted by UPND cadres.
Mabonga said the disrespect was not only smeared on the former head of state but also on other PF members of Parliament such Mambilima lawmaker Jean Chisenga, former Petauke MP Emmanuel Jay Banda among many others.
She said in the charge relating to count one, she was responding to the threats that were issued by the UPND from Western and Southern province.
“My words were not seditious and I didn’t intend to promote any violence. I intended to bring out these issues to the attention of the nation and the law enforcement agencies,” she said.
“UPND cadres had called PF criminals, I was was trying to bring that out, I didn’t intend to promote ill will, I intended to bring all these issues to the attention of the authorities and the law enforcement agencies and the nation at large,” she said.
She said she is a calm person by nature and everyone around her was safe.
Mabonga argued that as a member of Parliament representing a section of society, she had a right to speak for and on behalf of the said people.
Magistrate Kasanda adjourned the matter to May 7 for judgment. If convicted, Mabonga faced a seven-year jail term.
