Thursday, March 28, 2024

Sylvia Masebo pleads not guilty and granted bail

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Tourism and Arts Minister Sylvia Masebo
Sylvia Masebo

Chongwe Member of Parliament Sylvia Masebo has pleaded not guilty to one count of conducting an illegal procession in breach of the Public Order Act.

And Mrs Masebo also pleaded not guilty to one count of attempting to escape from lawful custody.

Mrs. Masebo and four others who appeared before Senior Resident Magistrate Lameck Mwale have since been granted K10, 000 bail each with two working sureties despite strong objection by the state.

The state had earlier objected to the bail application by the defence lawyer Jack Mwiimbu stating that the accused were likely to commit the same offence once bail was granted.

The State further contended that the accused especially Ms. Masebo was likely to disregard the bail conditions as evidenced by her attempts to escape from lawful custody.

But in granting bail, Magistrate Mwale said the argument presented by the state was speculative in nature as it did not have evidence to substantiate the claims.

He ordered Masebo, Mbewe, Sakala, Chembo and Mabumba to produce two working sureties each from established organizations within Lusaka in the like sum of K10, 000 but in their own recognizance.

Magistrate Banda has since set 1st October 2015 as the date for mention and 9th and 10th November as dates for commencement of trial.

Ms. Masebo and four other UPND cadres were yesterday arrested and charged for unlawful procession by police.

She is being represented by lawyers, Jack Mwimbu, Martha Mushipe, Marshall Muchende, Yosa Yosa, while Keith Mweemba is representing the other four.

Earlier in the day, police fought running battles with suspected United Party for National Development (UPND) cadres after they stoned the officers demanding for the release of Masebo who was detained at Lusaka Central police.

The officers were prompted to fire tear gas canisters at the cadres who had camped outside the police while stoning and shouting “Sylvia achoke, achoke.”

The cadres scampered in all directions with some seeking refugee in the Levy shopping mall.

But the police combed out some of the cadres from the mall and dragged them to the police station.

Lusaka province chief Charity Katanga confirmed in an interview that seven cadres had been arrested and would be charged with conduct likely to breach peace and malicious damage to property.

20 COMMENTS

    • personally, i dont want masebo in the upnd, she will just dent the party. i am indifferent to whatever happens to masebo. She lost the effect on me when she prostituted herself politically all in the name of being a progressive liberal. I dont trust her. lock her up, kill her, it doesnt matter to me. Leteniko story yimbi not ifyama h.u.l.e yamuma politics.

  1. THE WORLD IS WATCHING! THE PEOPLE OF ZAMBIA WILL NOT SIT IDLY BY WHILE THEIR RIGHTS ARE ERODED. NO SINGLE PERSON SHOULD HAVE TO GET A PERMIT TO WALK THE STREETS. VIVA HONOURABLE MASEBO

    • Who,but not us.The law is meant for trouble makers.Zambians why do support evil people.We have credible laeders period.

  2. Our country is so backward,police behaving like carders,why follow and drag people from shopping mall,the image of our country is being badly tarnished and the president is watching.:

  3. Sillyvia was advised by her red lipped male partner a failed council lawyer and corrupt like herself that if she marched in numbers she would be safe…she forgot that when Membe the accounts clerk turned scribe and night school lawyer and redlipped partner summerby took numbers to the police when they had something to lean on…she forgets that she actually lost the chongwe seat and cried foul…bribing the winner into foreign service so Wynter could cajole Sata to make her minister…without disclosing she was a side kick..she has no morals so now thriving on publicity stance…o=first night in cells next prison…uzalapila iwe

  4. What these people are trying to do is to destract people’s attention from genuine legal matters before the courts. Ms Masebo walked deliberately to attract sympathy when she is charged with the public order offence, and people will soon forget she is facing a prima facie case with her activities in the ministry of tourism.

    But I think Zambians are very clever and will see through all this. In any case, in which country would a group of people more than 20 walk in a street without attracting police attention? Lets be careful and not turn our own country into lawlessness in the name of politics.

  5. Zambia is a strange country now. In the last 10-20 years, we used to move freely in groups of more than 10 people and nothing was alleged to be an offence.
    Here in the UK thousands and thousands people move about in shooping mall, beaches, ruby or football matches or even just roaming in streets. No offence of any shape or type is concieved by very, very professional police force. However where there is mens-ria, you will be caught by all means.

    • @muna you are a liar. Where in the UK do you see cadres with placards marching on the roads and shouting disturbing traffic and and order.

    • @sponge bob,
      You don’t seem to know much about the UK. Here in the UK party supporters and other groups have the freedom to demonstrate on the streets in large numbers. Just a couple of days ago thousands of Londoners took to the streets in Central London after new Labour leader was elected. It was in support of refugees.
      You cannot compare the dictatorship in Zambia to the democracy in UK where freedom of movement and association are highly recognised. The liar is you Sponge bob.

  6. The police are just protecting these people. Imagine if there was no law and Masebo walked with her carders and they meet Mumbi Phiri equally marching with her carders, what would be the end results. The police are doing well to avert such occurrences before they happen.

  7. “Never Every Teach Old Dogs Near Tricks”.For they do not understand common law. This is misunderstanding of the law by the executive. Is the king dead?

  8. Cut out the primitive behavior, Zambians. What is wrong with you all? Why didn’t you escort them to their destination if you suspected anything? Why are we putting extinct animal brains like the dodo’s to shame?

  9. History always repeats itself desperate situations call for desperate measures ………..quote” when we were in the opposition we did not like the public order act but when we came into power we have found it to be a very handy tool”

  10. The spirits of those slaughtered innocents at Kampasa will not allow this vile and vain harridan to have any form of peace.

  11. masebo you are a good woman who can develop, but insults are just too much, that’s a good advise for you. wat happened was not good, don’t start dealing with dirty cadres, you are graet, but swallow your pride we need you.

  12. Should Masumba still be an MP as reported in the media or it is the same old story of the PF protecting and supporting their own criminals ? What does the law say on MPs who have been convicted and sentenced as is in the case of Masumba? I’m sure they seize to be MPs.

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