Court orders shift of Nakacinda’s sedition case
By a Correspondent
THE Lusaka Magistrate Court has ordered the prosecution to transfer the sedition case file involving Patriotic Front (PF) secretary general Raphael Nakacinda back to the Criminal Investigations Officer (CIO) if the arresting officer fails to summon witnesses again.
Magistrate Mwandu Sakala directed that if the arresting officer failed to summon witnesses at the next court sitting, the case should be transferred to the CIO for progress.
Sakala made the directive following a request for an adjournment by State Prosecutor Changwa Jere, who informed the court that the arresting officer was unwell and unable to appear or summon the witnesses.
Nakacinda is facing one count of seditious practices under section 57(1)(b) of the penal code.
The charge comes from remarks Nakacinda made while appearing on a radio station last year in August, accusing the government of committing genocide by importing maize and mealie-meal contaminated with aflatoxins.
Nakacinda linked the deaths of dogs and an unverified number of people to the consumption of mealie meal contaminated with aflatoxins.
And Nakacinda called for calm among the PF supporters and the general citizenry amid the ongoing burial dispute of former president Edgar Lungu.
Addressing the journalist after the court adjourned his case, he assured Zambians that the confusion surrounding the burial and repatriation of former president Lungu’s remains would be resolved soon.
“There is light at the end of the tunnel, provided the ongoing talks between the family and government are done respectfully and genuinely. We are hopeful that this matter will be resolved soon. It is my appeal to the people of Zambia and the PF family to remain steadfast and focused. Unity is paramount,” said Nakacinda.
