MISA Zambia has welcomed the sentencing of Frank Mwale, a Patriotic Front cadre who has been handed a 2-year custodial sentence for the assault of Chipata’s Breeze FM Journalist Grace Lungu.
MISA Zambia Chairperson Helen Mwale said the judgment which was passed yesterday is timely and serves as a warning to any other would be offenders in the country that violence in whatever form against journalists is against the law and such culprits will be brought to book.
Ms Mwale said MISA Zambia is happy that this judgment indeed shows that the state does not condone violence against journalists and therefore value their work.
“We are congnisant of the Presidential directive made in May of 2019 urging Zambia Police to deal with any cadres perpetrating violence against journalists, therefore, this judgment is testament to this commitment by the President”, she added.
Ms Mwale said this judgment also gives Journalists confidence that the media can seek protection when its rights and freedoms are violated and they deem it a victory for the media.
“Therefore, we call on authorities to continue the pursuit for justice by convicting all those responsible and perpetuating violence against journalists. Further, we urge the journalists and media not to relent in their pursuit of their freedom and justice”, Ms Mwale said.
She said MISA is happy that justice has been served and that the Zambia Police in Eastern province value the work of the media as they did assist Grace when she reported the matter to them.
The judgment arose from an incident in which Lungu was assaulted by the 41-year-old Chipata businessman during the Mkomba Ward Local government by-election on 12th February, 2019. The assailant together with other people beat Grace and the driver of the vehicle she had booked, Lengani Kanyinji.
In a case which started last year the Magistrate Court in Lundazi have found Mwale guilty of assault and theft and sentenced him to two years’ imprisonment on the count of assault and on the charge of theft of K400 belonging to Lungu he has been handed a two years suspended sentence.
Ms Mwale said this sentencing is an important sign that the perpetrators of crimes against journalists will no longer evade justice.
She said political party cadres should know that journalists have a duty to investigate, disseminate, research and inform, hence they should not be hindered as they carry out their noble tasks.
She has urged all politicians to exercise maximum restraint as the media are merely carriers of news and must be left to operate in a free environment void of harassment and intimidation for the benefit of the public.
“We would like to echo the words of wisdom from President Edgar Lungu by saying that journalists should not be covering political activities whilst watching over their shoulders for fear of being lynched and that no one is above the law”, Ms Mwale said.
She added that citizens need a free flow of information for them to make informed decisions and it is a well-known fact that elections are highly dependent on the free flow of information, something which the Zambian media is trying so hard to provide.
All these P.F Vuvuzela’s like Monday Red Lips, Tayali, Antonio, Max Ch0ngo & other useless G00N -B4B00NZ MUST REMEMBER, once Dr Ch@k0lwa Mukula is out of Plot 1, they will face the music on their own, WATCH THIS SPACE!
Donchi say you weren’t warned!!
Exactly the presidential directive issued by his excellency to deal with any violent cadres is being adhered to. The pf is s party that doesn’t condone violence regardless of political affiliation
Only small time cadres will be sacrificed.Big time criminal cadres like Kaiser Zulu and Kennedy Kamba are untouchable under PF.
Hang on a minute KZ .PF should not come smelling roses because one poor cadre has been jailed .What about Lubinda and that other lady so called minister who openly said that they will pay the money they owe Zambia’s tax payers for wilfully overstaying in office after parliament was dissolved .Why have they not been taken to court and jailed for contempt of court ? Their comments undermined the highest court in land . And if the highest court stands by and look away ,then we do have a big problem in our justice system . Why has Dora’s cases hit a snag for instance . She was taken to court under Sata’s government .
Kaizer Zulu, dont worry your time of reckoning will come when you will face the law.
What of Bowman slapping Kambwili? The fact that thing conviction has made news shows that is the exception and not the norm.
PF cadres are simply left alone, did we not see that video of Munir Zulu, the PF youth cadre, exchanging blows with the Police and nothing was done.
It is sad that we should be taken by surprise by what should be a normal and ordinary conviction.
Independent you say some ugly things for someone so beautiful. I doubt your independence and suspect you are a paid up opposition cadre.
Tarino is no where to be seen. We hope the boy is safe because last couple of days he has been showing signs of being demented and mentally challenged. This could be a sign of corona. Can someone there in England check up on him.
Fake KZ why are you wishing me death? Yes I woke up with a slight fever and cough so I am self isolating and doing the responsible thing unlike lazy lungu who is hiding.
But mudala KZ, apena Tarino na Corona, diaspora nipolomya, me I run away, like I sensed this thing coming, tefintu, already life that side feels like you are in quarantine even if there is no outbreak nomba what more na corona, let pray for him even though he doesnt believe in God.
Hang on a minute KZ .PF should not come smelling roses because one poor cadre has been jailed .What about Lubinda and that other lady so called minister who openly said that they will not pay the money they owe Zambia’s tax payers for wilfully overstaying in office after parliament was dissolved .Why have they not been taken to court and jailed for contempt of court ? Their comments undermined the highest court in land . And if the highest court stands by and look away ,then we do have a big problem in our justice system . Why has Dora’s cases hit a snag for instance . She was taken to court under Sata’s government .
But why are they happy when this is a SUSPENDED SENTENCE? HELLO? This violent thug will not see the inside of a prison…and yet you’re happy about it? I don’t understand.
Read the article again then you will see that there were two accounts charged, one he was given suspended sentence and one custodial sentence, so he is in jail for two years.
And you fake kaiza Zulu your days are numbered, you can’t continue faking and impersonating someone.
Mark my words