A witness yesterday testified in the Lusaka High Court that Chisamba Member of Parliament (MP) Moses Muteteka distributed cellular phones in exchange for votes during his campaigns in the 2011 tripartite elections.
This is in a matter in which losing Patriotic Front (PF) candidate Oswald Chulu has petitioned the election results of the opposition MMD MP.
Joyce Chibiya 51, a political cadre said she was one of the beneficiaries of the ZTE cellular phones which were given to her and others whom she could not identify at Chipokota Lodge in Chisamba.
Asked in cross examination by a defence lawyer Friday Besa whether she knew who was distributing the phones, Ms Chibiya said she knew that the phones were coming from Mr Muteteka.
She said the MP had told the gathering earlier that he would give them phones in exchange for their votes.
Mr Besa also asked the witness to show proof that the phone was given to her by Mr Muteteka.
In her response, Ms Chibiya insisted that it came from Mr Muteteka because she could not afford to buy a phone.
“There were a lot of people that received phones on that night but I can’t manage to mention their names, they were too many,” she said.
Ms Chibiya said the MP held a meeting at Mutoyo polling station where the electorate took him to task over promises he had been making on taking development to the area. The witness, who was being led in examination in chief by lawyers William Mubanga and Jack Mwiimbu, said Mr Muteteka then apologised to the electorate and promised to meet them later.
She testified that later she and other people were asked to meet at Chipokota Lodge and that she reached there around 20:00 hrs.
She found people distributing cellular phones and that was how she also benefited.
The mobile phones, she said, came from Mr Muteteka who had instructed his supporters to distribute them to the electorate in the constituency.
Hearing continues.
donchi kubeba does not seem to suffice as evidence in a court of law.
another seat coming our way,,,
That is how it goes when you parade the gullible to be your witnesses. They cannot withstand simple question of logic. This sounds as embarrassing as the ‘fake currency’.
why should that silly chap waste our time to say you are witness when you have no data..typical of pf..
The illiteracy and stupidity in PF is costing us a lot of money. Who is paying for these idiotic cases? I hope petitioners are paying their legal bills. The courts must also learn to be giving punitive fines to petitioners who waste court time by bringing cases for which they have no evidence.
Weren’t they just advised to take and vote otherwise? There was nothing about being a witness after elections. They got the message right.
what happened to the Donchi Kubeba syndrome
Surely, beats logic – how many cell phones did he distirbute to get all those votes, beating the next guy by thousands. Even if he distributed cell phones to a few “in exchange for their votes”, and NOT to use as communal handsets “in exchange for the entire community’s votes”, as a judge, I would not find that to be a ground for casuing an election loss! Next witness, or cadre, please………
chisamaba has thousands of voters….how many cellphones were given out in order to justify the allgations of a corrupt victory????
There is too much vindictiveness in Zambia fulstop
The witness got the phone voted for pf
Candidate and he lost donchi kubeba
nothing last forever.
All candidates distribute material things , this is not news , improve technology and record his voice when distributing phones. Mteteka is our new MMD president so please dont stand on his way
This is a clear indication of corruption in regards to voter fraud.The MP is involved we do not need hard evidence there it is do not become foolish with technicalities Mr.Muteteka is guilt He must be re-called from Parliament.The Chisamba Parliament seat is open Mr.Muteteka should be excluded and the clear candidates run for the open seat.
what if i said my phone came from guy scott,he gave during campaigns,do i have evidence or know the other people given?no but i know it came from him….if i become a credible witness then every losing MP will pay a cadre to claim they received something and boy are things going to be in chaos….limo limo we have to grow up in our thinking PF people here are being cadres without brains,kuleni what do you take the country for?