Thursday, March 28, 2024

Ministers Lubinda, Kapata and Tasila Lungu sue News Diggers over Mukula story

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Justice Minister Given Lubinda, Lands Minister Jean Kapata and Nkoloma Ward One Councillor Tasila Lungu have sued News Diggers Media Limited for libel .

The three have also sued Diggers Reporter Funga Mukosha and the Environmental Investigation Agency (EIA) in the Lusaka High Court were they are seeking damages for linking them to the illegal sale of Mukula.

Lubinda, Tasila and Kapata are also seeking an interim and permanent injunction restraining News diggers and Environmental Investigation Agency from publishing similar libelous, malicious articles and opinions relating to them until the determination of the case.

The trio is further seeking punitive and exemplary damages from the defendants with interest.

This is according to the statement of claim filed in the Lusaka High Court Registry.

The three have explained that the Newspaper wrote a story in which it linked them to the illegal sale of Mukuka logs.

The Plaintiffs have further alleged that in doing so the News diggers did not care to contact them as a way of verifying facts.

The three have explained that the report by EIA was circulated globally without the organization giving them an opportunity to give their side of the story.

As a result of this, the plaintiffs say that they have suffered ridicule, contempt, and embarrassment from the public.

This is because the publication of the libelous articles was understood that they were thieves.

37 COMMENTS

  1. Why not sue EIA in Europe where they are based or the USA ????

    Because you know you can manipulate the corrupted and compromisrd rotten Zambian judicial system to do what ever you want…….

  2. Sparka, if a plane crashes in Iran, the investigation has to be carried out in Iran led by Iran, the other countries are or the manufacturer is ivited to be part of the investigation.

    So the offence was committed in Zambia, so why take the case to Europe or US. Diggers are free to invite their paymasters from Europe to be part of the trail in Lusaka High Court.

    Stop demeaning yourselves, no wonder your children already think low of you and high of foreign looking people and institutions

    • Cader

      If a plane crashes in Iran because of a faulty USA made part, it is right for the Iranians to sue the USA in international courts and courts in the USA…..

  3. How come ECL is not in this group action? Could the story be true with respect to HIM. Surely he has suffered the most ” ridicule, contempt, and embarrassment from the public”. But how come they are not suing the Environmental watchdog that brought this information to the fore. News diggers were merely reporting their report.

  4. When you sue the messenger on behalf of the Zambians you will indeed suffer further ridicule, contempt, embarrassment as thieves in public offices.
    Zambians have known a catalogue of crimes committed by those in government ministerial jobs. Next sue the Auditor General of Zambia for exposing corruption and thieves in government such as Mr Lubinda, Jean Kapata, Dr Chitalu, Vincent Mwale to name a few.

  5. If you truly clean why does it have to take you three months to respond, were the looking for the ‘right’ judge to take up this case given that Lubinda is the Minister of Justice and if you want to hit EIA hard why not sue them in the US. Why are you sueing Diggers for what? Being a messenger. These crooks have taken this country for granted.

  6. I met Tasila and eagle one subsequent to the malicious accusations by news diggers and party. Following counsel it was decided this was the best way forward. His humble excellency did not want to pursue this as he has come to realise that there is no point arguing with liars as zambians cannot be taken for idi0ts. However, in order to deter fake news propagandists, we felt it was necessary to pursue this issue legally. I will also soon be looking into taking legal action against those spreading malicious news about me without any single thread ld evidence. Let this be a warning. This is not the type of news I want on my birthday but we have been left with no option. Kz

    • His humble excellency did not want to pursue this as he will be found out why he has not pursed individuals calling him a corrupt thief every day.

      maybe you can tell us why he has not denied being called a corrupt thief…?

  7. Where has the law of defamation been hiding, or is it sleeping?? Looks like nowadays you can just wake up and heep all sorts of garbage (with impunity) at anyone.! With zero proof or evidence whatsoever. The highest officers have not been spared!

    The law should come and punish perpetrators of this vice, to serve the INNOCENT persons. Surely! We should be a Country of laws.

  8. A thief, though rich, will continue to steal, but an honest man, though poor, will ever seek to pay his debts. – Widstoe

  9. Really and the people are to believe a fat cat judge, and co-conspirators who have no interest in anything for Zambia other than to loot. Show us your humility and make do with what we the ordinary people of Zambia endure everyday of our lives. Try starving with the people in the country side ignored by Government. Catch a bus or walk. Ignorant fools.

  10. @Ferdinand Mpundu – Dont be simpleminded …EIA US is a 501(c)3 not-for-profit organisation based in Washington DC, its also a UK registered charity if that girl Tasila, Madam Mukula and Coward Lubinda are serious they should have taken the matter in UK and US courts not in corrupt Zambian courts. Do you seriously think they just woke up and decided to defame these greedy morons? They were concerned about illegal logging in Zambia then stumbled on these thieves. How do you think Zambia exported $180million of Mukula but accounted for only less than a tenth of that? Whose signature was on those papers…these people will be exposed, innocent people dont wait for two months to sue unless you are erasing evidence but guess what? Money always leaves a trail dont be surprised to find these…

  11. Kaizer Zulu seems to be sent to tarnish government’s image in the name of supporting it on this forum! What does he desire?

  12. @Genius: The tragedy of Africa, the most dangerous thing to Africa today is the colonised African.
    Dr. Arikana Chihombori-Quao

    “African countries are backwards because of the colonised minds of the continent’s intellectuals”

    • African countries are backwards because the citizens who call for western standards of accountability in governments are called imperialists backed non patriotics while the corrupt mismanagement of government inevitably leads to begging for aid from the same west they call imperialists…….aid they can not survive without despite having the most riches in mineral wealth……

  13. There is no smoke without fire…Trying to shoot the messenger will not help as they simply published the message. Instead of Banding the three suspects, each one should sue separately, Suing to silence the media will just Amplify the corruption with more sources and witnesses opening up. NAIVE move! Why not sue EIA?

  14. Popolipo – There is only one sick blogger who has the time and energy to expend for this kind of rubbish, this is why I laugh at PF cadres who engage this Kz.

  15. What matters most isn’t the outcome of the Zambian court process but what will come to the fore. We’re interested in the whole info that will expose further the PF shoddy deals. They’ve scored an own goal

  16. Laughable indeed. Didn’t EIA express disappointment at Lungu’s lack of action on the report. EIA has never refuted the report so ND have done nothing wrong in publishing that report so leave them alone you corrupt criminals.

  17. @Spaka: You want to run a GRZ according to western standards yet you want to sign economic agreements with westerners which allows them to ship all the sales of minerals to western capitals without restrictions. PF has built major infrastructure that includes bridges, hospitals, schools, roads that we see and use today yet you call that mismanagement and corruption. Africa ships over $90bn through illicit vices like transfer pricing, vat refunds and you expect it not to be backwards??? Colonised f.0.0.l!!!

  18. NO, THIEVES ARE SO SMART AND HUMBLE THAT THEY SNEAK INTO POWER AND OUR WALLETS TO LOOT. BY THE TIME YOU REALIZE THEY HAVE INFECTED THE SYSTEM WITH CORRUPTION, YOU RAISE CONCERNS THEY LOCK YOU UP, IF IT’S ON THE STREETS THEY SAY “ULE PUNKWA …”. HOW LONG, HOW LONG SHALL WE ALLOW THIS?

  19. U r a spent force KZ what will one gain to spread so called fake news on u all piop were worried that time were ur irritating behaviour not any more so dont kweza ur self where u r not

  20. If I can recall, just recently archbishop Telesphore Mpundu alluded to the fact that “the PF is a government of thieves” and tangled in a web of corruption. This was reported in the media. To date, no PF member or official has sued the archbishop or the media that published the news story. What does that mean? Drawing of salaries illegally during the dissolution of parliament (aka theft by public servant)- the concourt delivered judgement which has not been adhered to by concerned former and current ministers except perhaps for Harry Kalaba. They think they are above the law. The Auditor-General’s report and the Financial Intelligence Centre report are there to give credence to the rot that has been been there and is still there. These two government wings don’t work on mere…

  21. continued…These two government wings don’t work on mere assumptions, they possess all the information in their classified documents. They reek of grandiose corruption and colossal fraud, and somebody wants to tell us these guys are saints? Chiluba sued the Post newspaper when they called him a thief- the rest is history.

  22. Tarino Orange – The fact that it is an NGO raises serious questions about its impartiality and motive. The case is alleged to have taken place and therefore the evidence is here, why take the case outside. Let your EIA come and show us the Mukula trail here.

  23. May I suggest News Diggers also Sue them in a London Court for “Slander “. They are are thieves and have failed to defend themselves regarding the fencing of a public forest by Tasila Dino fimo in the Eastern part of a Zambian Province (equivalent to County in UK) in terms of size but not development because there is nothing to compare to in Zambia..

  24. Webye. Don’t take Zambians for fools. You will reap what you are planting. Mark my words Kaizer, please save your neck as it is not worth defending plunders.

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