Controversial musician Pilato has been granted bail by a Lusaka Magistrate after he was arrested for jumping bond.
Lusaka principal resident magistrate Mwaka Mikalile granted Pilato a K30,000 in his own recognizance with two working sureties from reputable organizations and in management positions.
Pilato was arrested last Wednesday at Kenneth Kaunda International Airport upon arrival from South Africa where he was in self-imposed exile following threats on his life.
When making a rule on Pilato’s bail application, Magistrate Mikalile said Pilato’s decision to flee the country cannot be questioned because he had produced video evidence which showed that his life was threatened.
Pilato along with five others are charged with unlawful assembly after they participated in a protest last December against the procurement of 42 fire tenders.
Meanwhile, Legendary and revolutionary Zimbabwean musician Thomas Mapfumo has joined global calls to demand freedom and justice for Pilato.
Mapfumo, affectionately known as the Lion of Zimbabwe, has produced hits such as Hatidi Politics, in which he reminds politicians not to take the electorate for granted, and he continues to enjoy a huge fanbase across the globe for his energetic chimurenga music.
“The Zambian government is targeting people like Pilato because they are standing up and demanding accountability from their government,” said Thomas Mapfumo.
“Pilato is a victim of a government that is trying to consolidate its base through the limiting of freedom of expression and in this case artistic expression. He is not a criminal. Instead of targeting criminals who are eroding state institutions, they are using him as a scapegoat. He must be released immediately and unconditionally.”
“The Zambian government is targeting musicians like Pilato and activists to clearly send a chilling message that any dissenting view will not be tolerated. In participating in this protest these individuals have done absolutely nothing wrong – they are certainly not criminals,” said the legendary musician.
Good idea, but HH should stop influencing this poor man – you see HH couldnt even provide security for him and yet you want to make him president of Zambia…you must be joking.
It is clear that the UPND is the sponsor of Pilato’s mischief.
“When making a rule on Pilato’s bail application, Magistrate Mikalile said Pilato’s decision to flee the country cannot be questioned because he had produced video evidence which showed that his life was threatened”.Well I hope ECL won’t be vindicated or questioned over the decision to build a mansion in eSwatini bcoz there is also video evidence of GBM threatening to go for ECL’s throat…
HE IS MAKING A BRAND GO GO PILATO! YOU ONLY MAKE A NAME WHEN YOU FIGHT IN OPPOSITION.
Mapfumo is scheduled to perform in Lusaka, he will be deported like everybody else… But this PF lishamo sana.
K30,000 is too much for a bond. Is he facing an armed robbery ir treason case?
Pilato has become just an attention seeker…useless and scraffy
Arsenal Oyeeeeh!
Zimbabwean musician talking about Politics !!!!!. You failed to talk about Mugabe for 38 years. You don’t have a currency up to now. And you want to make points on people like Pilato? Pilato is a nonentity and I don’t think the country should stretch its brains to talking about such things as Pilato.
Allepo Trump, that is the problem we always complain about when we say the P. F Cadre is a brainless Stooge who only uses his belly & nether regions to reason.
For your information Mr P.F Cadre, Thomas Mapfumo was such a vocal critic of Dictator Bob Mugabe -Jona’s beloved mentor, to a point he even FLED Zimbabwe, & lived in America for years, only returning once Jona’s mentor was rightly ousted!
Just because you are eating by election bribes from Lusambo, does not mean the library should be a no go area for you iwe kipuba!
“Meanwhile, Legendary and revolutionary Zimbabwean musician Thomas Mapfumo has joined global calls to demand freedom and justice for Pilato”. Show me the global calls please !!!!!This kind of reporting is useless
@#4—What do you know about Mapfumo? Do you talk just for the sake of talking? The folk talked about Mugabe. Did you know that he lived in Oregon, USA, because of Mugabe’s dictatorship? I met him several times. In fact, my daughter was a friend of one his daughters.
HH will use anything to became president. Now for people like Pilato who are always high on weed half the time they can not think straight will end being victims of someone’s greed. Look at how hard HH has made life difficult parading someone in Chilanga.
Well done Magistrate Mikalile for upholding the rule of law. Pilato continue the fight so long you say the truth you will be set free.
“When making a rule on Pilato’s bail application, Magistrate Mikalile said Pilato’s decision to flee the country cannot be questioned because he had produced video evidence which showed that his life was threatened”.Well I hope ECL won’t be vindicated or questioned over the decision to build a mansion in eSwatini bcoz there is also video evidence of GBM threatening to go for ECL’s throat.
This issue of wanting people to spend weekends in jail has to looked into…this is another example of how useless the Chief Justice is and is merely getting thousands of tax dollars for nothing. Pilato should have been released last week ..
What is gone wrong with current bleed of youths or young Zambians?
Any well meaning Zambian cannot blame Pilota for whatever he is doing to speak against any form of corruption using music.
Corruption has denied you youths decent jobs, good health care and education.
Stand up and join Pilato in this noble fight of corruption and stop exchanging your vote with beer, cap, t-shirt, chitenge material or cooking oil.
This stinking scruffy guy should have just had his neck twisted and fed to the hungry crocodiles of the upper Limpopo river.
Go back to Congo and get ebola so that you die
People. what is the issue here? is pilato in court because of his song. NO. Pilato is in court because of an illegal demonstration concerning fire Tenders. lets get things right . How about his co accused. Why only talk about releasing Pilato . Who is he? Let him face the law. he is being spoiled like a Cadre. There are true activists who have respect for elders ,who are not insulting and bring about good issues. Its not all about provoking people each time your pocket is filled. Things have changed. And let that hopeless Musician from Zimbabwe shut up. Real men have never fled their own country.
Are there legal demonstrations in Zambia? Stupidity can make people become something else. Do you know the person you call “hopeless”? Who is hopeless between you and gallant Mapfumo? I believe you fit that noun very well because you accept stupidity.
Well put, Wally. How can we ignore our laws and support to a foreign musician??? That s.t.up.id1ty tag fits you Lipkwa. ZP give permits for demonstrations but 1.d.i.o.ts like you and Pilato want to ignore laws and impress foreigners with that freedom of expression rubbish, Mapfumo should watch his words, Zambia is a sovereign state. He musn’t forget his sisters are busy selling sweets on our streets….
So Pilato now understands that a Zambian Police Cell is far better than a South African Street full of knife-totting thugs.
Pa Zed pakali.
Uyu ni upndfye
Wally – Because of demonstration against illegal purchase of fire tenders. So this was an Illegal demonstration against illegal purchase of fire tenders. Illegal demonstration + illegal procurement of tenders = 0 (No case to answer)
This case is going no where. The rulings have been made by the supreme court several times over such issues of freedom of assembly except politicians are very dull and they keep arresting demonstrators to create fear in them.
So what if he is upnd cadre, when you get his money to pay PF cadres or buy votes you don’t say that. Zambia right now needs to get out of this obsession with a bad party in power tainting our image abroad, imagine reading in foreign press that your leader is busy building himself a mansion in a foreign land how do you think others think of us gullible!!!
When making a rule on Pilato’s bail application, Magistrate Mikalile said Pilato’s decision to flee the country cannot be questioned because he had produced video evidence which showed that his life was threatened
oh yes its the UPND cadres who wanted to lynch Pilato!!!
I remember Chanda Chimba.
If Zambia had brave musicians like Pilato,criminals in government would not be as brazen as they are.Stealing every ngwee they come across and still walk about freely.
At last some sense has prevailed.
“Meanwhile, Legendary and revolutionary Zimbabwean musician Thomas Mapfumo has joined global calls to demand freedom and justice for Pilato.”
Global call where? kikikiki
Pilato has more balls than ECL, Kaizer, Dora, Tasila combined all together
I feel sorry for young man, he is just being used. Guess that’s what happens when you produce insults and call it music. (Sic) won’t sell!
It seems the real problem is the legislation that bans non-approved demonstrations. Unless there is a real risk of violent disorder, what reasons are there to ban a demonstration? That they have a political impact? We must agitate for freedom of expression!