Friday, March 29, 2024

Government enters nolle prosequi in Pillato’s Case

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FILE: Pilato being whisked away after court adjourned
FILE: Pilato being whisked away after court adjourned

The Lusaka Magistrate Court has discharged popular musician Fumba Chama popularly known as PILATO after the state entered a nolle prosequi.

Magistrate Aridah Chulu however warned Pilato that he had not been acquitted and he may be re-arrested for the same offence if fresh evidence is availed.

Pilato had been charged with one charge of conduct likely to cause the breach of peace following the release of his song titled A Lungu Anabwera which supporters of the PF deemed defamatory to President Edgar Lungu.

?And Pilato told Journalists outside court that he was happy with the decision by the state to discharge him just as he happy was when he composed the song ‘A Lungu anabwera’.

Pilato said the truth was the most arrogant reality on earth.

He has since vowed that he will go ahead and compose more similar songs.

Pilato was accompanied by scores of his fans including some musicians such as Maiko Zulu.

46 COMMENTS

    • I thought those “nolles” were the preserve of Mutembo Nchito?
      What a useless call we have from the leadership to the Police Service for even taking an interest in this…

    • If only we kept a log of these “be unwilling to pursue” cases for years 2014/2015 and deducted costs from Edgar, his dull ministers and DPP’s salaries then they would think twice about pursuing some of these cases.

    • Five Zero, PF at it again. no priorities??? wasting time on rubbish things. Lungu Invite Pilato for a Jameson drink up. Nothing wrong..

    • Why entering a nolle Prosequi? They arrested him with full force and should have just faced him in court and lose the case!
      An acquittal for Pilato was obvious in this case and that’s the embarrassment the state is avoiding here..

    • @ Kwa Goerge.. Kanene is a fool, he wants to impress politicians. so that he is given presidential pardon. More over he should not be allowed to be producing music while in Jail.

      He is under arrest, the Zambian law is weak. let him compose but not produce.??

      Ka Kanene Nika Muzungu anikonde.. foolish boy.

    • Pilato must appeal and sue the carders for defamation of character and likely to cause loss of business. kikikiki

    • This is the reason Thick Chama would like Zambia to be a one party dictatorship like North Korea where if you dissed the Great Drunkard Leader, then you are dead meat. The Police Force (PF) are trying to victimize any critical voices.

  1. They should have just withdrawn the case. Anyway, I will enjoy my Jemasoni this evening listening to A Lungu anabwera

  2. I knew from start that this case wad going no where. Pf should hence forth stop wasting financial resources and precious time on witch hunting and concentrate on important issues such as poverty alleviation which rampant in our nation.

  3. Kucileka fye cebange pamo na ka Zulu Maiko. You may end up making a f00l polular if you continue going to the courts. Let them compose some more such f00lish songs if they want but they are going nowhere. Eventually their songs will fade away with time.

  4. “Nolle prosequi”..how many times have we heard this latin word with our Zambian Govts? How many times?

    Nolle prosequi is legal term of art and a Latin legal phrase meaning “be unwilling to pursue”, a phrase amounting to “do not prosecute”.

    In other words tax payers monies, police manpower, fuel that should been used to catch real criminals has been wasted pursuing a fruitless, non starter of a case in order to appease the ruling political elite. To top it up every-time you hear that word the govt pays for legal expenses for the defendant for wasting their precious time.

    And someone tells me the lazy bum in State House is a lawyer…no wonder he was debarred by LAZ…really laughable.

  5. What new evidence can come from the song? Surely the prosecution had the tape! The court should have simply thrown out the case.Is our justice system also going to the dogs?

  6. I also enjoy the social commentary and humour of Pilato’s music. My only advice to him is that he should understand what satire is and avoid direct reference to individuals. Otherwise, he will get himself in serious trouble with someone who understands what satire is and end up with a serious defamation charge he won’t be able to wriggle out of. He should also avoid the tendency of being for or against any political parties or personalities. This may cost him a large segment of his fan base because fans cut across the whole political spectrum.

    • Pilato has a right to support a Party of his choice, that is Democracy. Jay Z and Beyonce supported Obama. Freedom of expression and association is a difficult concept in Africa

  7. YOU ARE JUST ASHMED OF YOURSELF SEEING THIS THING HAS BEEN STPD.YOU ARE THE SAME GUYS THAT WERE SAYING PILATO IS SOUP USELESS PF CARDRES.

  8. Charity Katanga was huffing & puffing after taking tuma jameson now she must be very embarrassed but then they believe in sebena wikute.
    What mediocrity!

  9. Can all Djs please play “Alungu anabwera” song the wholeday & night…Pilato has no case to answer meaning there’s nothing wrong with this hit

  10. As you give your checks and balances remember to be objective you frog.Otherwise you be killed you *****.Ati ka pilato.imbecile!Foolish pilato!You are an insane musician.Why should you be killed because of a k20 which you got from Hh? Imbwa iwe!Have you seen that you were alone when you were answering charges?You dog!

  11. A Lungu anabwera kuchokela ku chawama…. Mu suitcase Musa munali ma Jameson.. May the radio stations now play the song nation wide. The state am sure have realized it would have been a frivolous prosecution.

  12. Dullness, this is not the same as acquital. Who knows what the next step will be? Pilato should just learn and refrain from making fun of elderly or senior people because it is only him who may lose this battle. You win nothing by disrespecting people.

  13. Amama neo. Jameson lossing to Pilato 1 : 0 elyo lwanya. Pyereeeeeeeeeeeeeee The state house has been messed up. Call ba mama Esther to kolopa. Amama neo a Lungu ni chinji !

  14. We shall sort him out as cadres.. its not the end for him. Let him be watching his back all the time. Time will tell. He is not clever

  15. Very dull President! Very dull police IG and a very dull vice president who was arguing that the dull drunkard was not referring to Tonga chiefs when he called them as a ridiculous lot! What does this dull visionless woman take Zambians for! She must know and understand that we are not dull like herself! The best she could have done was to remain silent than exposing her dullness!!

  16. Get rid of this 2nd Republic law! It doesn’t fit into our current Republic. This is now a democracy. It needs freedom of speech!

  17. Washout!!! However, I also glad that fumba chama is not Tonga. Because if he were, tongas would have been demonized for nothing. I also proud of tongas. They r smart, hardworking and humble. Not like some species I know.

  18. They have made this young man famous for nothing. If the police didn’t waste our money looking for this boy the song could have died a natural death

  19. To be honest,Pilato may be laughing today thinking he has become an instant hero. But the truth of the matter is,the young man should not deceive himself that all is well with him. Nolle proseque does not mean he has triumphed over the state. He may never be called back to court but my advice to him is that let him not get too excited and provoke the state further,he doesn’t know who is watching him.

  20. Bring more songs and let us sing the song again. Now they want to build mausoleums for all dead presidents when the poor are going to bed hungry with no clean water and electricity and high few prices. is Magistrate Aridah Chulu, a PF cadre? what more evidence is there when those who have dead at the innocent are walking free?

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