THE case in which former Minister of Information and Broadcasting Services, Ronnie Shikapwasha and his co-accused person are facing charges of diversion of public funds has been allocated to magistrate Obbister Musukwa.
Chief Resident Magistrate, Joshua Banda who is among the four that recused themselves from handling the matter since it was taken to court re-allocated it to Kasama Principal Resident Magistrate Musukwa yesterday.
Others jointly charged with Shikapwaha are his former Permanent Secretary, Samson Phiri and journalist, Chanda Chimba.
Others that recused themselves were magistrates Mwaka Mikalile, Aridah Chuulu and Ketrina Walusiku on grounds that she was taking up a new position at the Sheriff’s office while others cited moral grounds.
The trio could, however, not take plea because the new magistrate scheduled to take up the matter was not yet in Lusaka. The matter was then mentioned by magistrate Boniface Mwiinga.
In the first count, Lt Gen Shikapwasha and Dr Phiri were charged with abuse of authority of office for arbitrarily directing, and in disregard to defamation laws, the ZNBC management to broadcast Chimba’s Stand up for Zambia documentaries.
The two are in the second count also charged with a similar offence where it was alleged that they arbitrarily disregarded professional legal advice not to broadcast the said “Stand up for Zambia” on ZNBC and committed the government to liabilities and legal fees emanating from the documentaries.
Chimba is in the third count charged with unlawful printing and publication and it is alleged that he unlawfully published a newspaper called “Stand Up for Zambia” without registering it with the National Archives of Zambia.
He is in the fourth count charged with a similar offence as in the previous where it was alleged that he unlawfully published a newspaper called News of our Times.
Dr Phiri is in the fifth count charged with abuse of authority of office where it was alleged that he arbitrarily directed the ZNBC to repeat Chimba’s “Stand up for Zambia” documentaries at no fee.
Chimba is in the sixth and last count charged with possession of property suspected to be proceeds of crime for allegedly possessing an accumulated total K611, 440,433.12 which he paid for his private media and printing services to ZNBC, Muvi television and the Zambia Daily Mail.
The matter was adjourned to May 13, this year for plea.
NOBODY wants to face the red nose general
Hope the new judge will put away this giant army man for 20 long years at the Kabwe maximum prison with hard core criminals for stealing millions.
if petty thieves can be subjected to instant mob justice for stealing a chicken, why waste resources taking thieving politicians and their cronies to court?
Lets just stone them to death, the same way they caused death to so many by depriving them of their much needed food, health, clean water & sanitation, poor roads etc…
Corruption is worse now in Zambia if judges can’t even decide whether to do what the law says or to follow what sata wants
REPLAY Chimba’s Stand up for Zambia documentaries BOTH IN COURT AND TV STATIONS IF HE WILL NOT BE VINDICATED!
@Ilogical African, Chanda Chimba, III the prophet has already been vindicated infact he was vindicated a long time ago. All he said would happen has happened that is why the likes of Fr. Frank Bwalya are now opening up their eyes. Bravo Chanda ChImba, III and sorry I did not listen to you.
Ba LT, the correct word is “Recuse” not “Excuse.”
What is wrong with Zambian judiciary? Three judges excused themselves on moral grounds???! Are they all related to shikapwasha , Chimba or Phiri? This just show that Under MMD, the judiciary was compromised and reforms are needed quickly.
The general has a big nose and the judges are scared he will Hoover up all the oxygen when he enters the court room and they will suffocate. Nicks nose is not big and ugly like that.
Thanks