UNITED Party for National Development (UPND) leader Hakainde Hichilema, who yesterday morning dared police to follow him to his residence if they wanted to arrest him, later in the day u-turned and sent a message through his lawyers that he had fallen ill.
Mr Hichilema was summoned to appear at the Zambia Police Service Headquarters at 09:00 hours yesterday to substantiate claims that the Patriotic Front had signed a Memorandum of Understanding with Sudan to have Zambian youths undergo training with militias in that country.
He had earlier in the morning issued media statements vowing that he would not make himself available and that police should follow him to his residence if they wanted him.
He had said he would not risk being ‘brutalised’ by police and accused Director of Public Prosecution (DPP), Mutembo Nchito of being a Patriotic Front cadre.
“If Mutembo Nchito has run out of ideas, let him resign. He is trying to blackmail me by telling me to appear before the police. I will not come.
“If they want, let them come and arrest me. I am not on the run, I am not like other politicians who run away. I am a citizen and I am around, let them come and arrest me,” Mr Hichilema told journalists in a phone interview in the morning when contacted over his delay in appearing.
The UPND leader later dispatched his lawyers, Sakwiba Sikota, Jack Mwiimbu, Keith Mweemba and Chad Muleza to inform the waiting investigators that their client was unwell.
The lawyers provided a verbal explanation about Mr Hichilema’s health condition but were turned away and asked to bring a signed medical report which they later presented.
Later police spokesperson, Charity Chanda confirmed that the lawyers had provided the medical report for Mr Hichilema obtained from Victoria Hospital and signed by a Desai.
“Lawyers to Mr Hichilema have provided a medical report from Victoria Hospital signed by Desai that he is unwell. We don’t want to doubt the medical report. The lawyers promised to bring him on Monday 10:00hours, so we will wait until Monday,” Ms Chanda said.
In a letter dated August 8, 2012 to Inspector-General of Police, Stella Libongani, obtained by the Times on Thursday, the DPP has recommended the arrest and prosecution of Mr Hichilema if he refuses to retract the allegations.
Police have now given Mr Hichilema up to 10: 00 hours on Monday.
Mr Sikota could not give a clear statement over Mr Hichilema’s condition after concluding talks with police in the company of Mr Mwiimbu.Mr Sikota told journalists that he was not aware of his client’s condition.When further queried, Mr Sakwiba Sikota said, “I don’t know about his (Hichilema) condition, am I the one with an appointment at VictoriaHospital,” Mr Sikota said.
Before Mr Hichilema’s u-turn, Ms Libongani had indicated in an interview that a warrant of arrest was one of the tools through which the UPND leader could be compelled to respect the police call-out if he continued ignoring the order.
“We issued a call-out to Mr Hichilema to appear but this call-out has been deliberately ignored. If he does not come, we will exhaust all legal channels to ensure he answers our call. If he doesn’t come, we will continue with legal channels which include issuing a warrant of arrest,” Ms Libongani said.
In his letter, the DPP said he had reviewed the docket regarding Mr Hichilema’s case which bordered on publication of false news with intent to cause fear and alarm to the public and that the “suspect” should be summoned immediately to appear before investigators.
The letter is captioned: “Hakainde Hichilema: Publication of false news with intent to cause fear and alarm to the public.”The DPP has directed that the UPND leader be given an opportunity to make an ordinary statement, not under caution, in which he should retract the inaccurate statements he made and then the docket be closed.
[Times of Zambia]
mutembo nchito pay the 18billion chik’la, u want to hide in HH. why did you get grz money..just because HH has told you to pay you want to intimidate him. it wont work you will just end up being hit by the anger of GOD for pesecuting an innocent man.
Iam the first one to comment. Hehehehehehe
typical lol
HH only captures headlines in the gutter press when the news is sort of negative.The zambian media is the most unreliable in Africa and the standards are still as poor as Robert C Moore outlined in book published in 1991.
Police force is used by the govt as a tool to scare, brutalise and create fear in the nation. We dont believe HH has comitted an offence to warrant all this hu-ha scenerio in the nation. What will police do if all UPND members in the whole country rise against the issue at hand? You may say PF govt police force will cramp them down, but will not eliminate an idea in them being treated unfairly by PF govt. Eventually, one section of Zambian people will feel not being part of Zambian govt. You may say will care less, time will come when you will need them. In all this the onus is on govt of the day to be more civilised to be a govt among its people.
zambia is under police state. but we shall soulder on. HH just needs time to strategise.
all this is so unnecessary and HH needs to own up if he wants to be respected
Atase we chipuba
We call upon all UPND cadres and any other sympathisers to escort Mr Hichilema to the police on Monday at 10 hours. This is the only way this CNP government will know that we are displeased with the way they are victimising innocent people.
Nice one again
Dictatorship is Bad.It leads to wars.Gadaffi, Assad Syria,
Mobutu ,Mubarak etc.CNP please learn.
Integrity is one of the major ingridients that anyone aspiring for public office should possess. If Mr. Hichilema made the statement of militia training in Sudan by PF to gain political milaege it is only better he retracks it but if he can substantiate it then let him have his day in court and provide his evidence. I am a UPND supporter and I do not support blindly. The time being wasted by our leader to and from police headquarters can be better utilised in selling our party through positive campaigns. As I always say 2016 is very near. Our party needs to do the following 1. Consolidate and strenthen further our position in provinces where we are popular 2. Open up structures in provinces where we are weak and diseeminate our plans for the country when we form government come 2016 TBC
NOT EVERY1 IS PROTECTED BY LAW
.
if Govt make a statement against any1 no police involvement same as a chinese killing a Zambian law does not apply but if otherswise then u will be told there is law
Cont. 3. PF popularity has plummeted in view of its style of governance and it is time we capitalised on this to win over numbers we need to win elections in 2016 4. Let us produce (as in the past) an alternative budget to that of PF so that the population is able to judge our strategy to that of PF. 5. Let us support our party with progressive ideas not the likes of HH for President 2016, Go HH and then we do not give idea how HH can be president in 2016 or how he does the GO GO
Osayamba kudwala dwala just go and give them your version, Hakainde ET can still be taken to the hospital from remind prison.
@9 stingy ndalama,
nice one and aptly put. if hh has any integrity at all, let him just own up and apologise for alarming the nation with his lies. this time around, the police force will be ready for you should you opt to go with your useless thugs at the police station.
#11 awesome contribution…..
let HH tell us how he got the infor and his source will be prosecuted together with him. we cannot build our nation on lies and one cant build his road to state house on lies either. let HH substatiate his clames! ati nadwala, let the police investigate the sick claim too, if he lied prosecute him together with the doc. i liked HH but not anymore.
OK ! IN THE MORNING HE WAS DEFIANT AS USUAL AND DARED THE POLICE
THAT LET THEM COME TO MY HOME IN KABULONGA
BUT A SECOND THOUGHT WAS TO FORGE A MEDICAL REPORT COZ HE DIDN’T GO TO THE HOSPITAL ! HE SAID IT HIMSELF!
NOW DID HE EVEN GO WITH THE CADRES TO THE HOSPITAL?
THOSE WHO THINK THEY HAVE UPND @ HEART,SHOULD ADVISE HH TO BE CIVIL !
HE NEEDS TO WIN HEARTS OF RIT THINKING ZAMBIANS NOT IN THIS WAY!
HH IS A COWARD !
Dr Desai, alah, is this not the same sangoma that castrated Ukwa in India a few months ago?
On monday we are coming again in numbers,us from copperbelt we hire 4 buses,to show satana that we love HH.At first we were supporting you foolish satana now you are fake,we mbushi CNP.
Mwata mulekwata amano.
Mwata, bushe balikumapo short or long baton. Go ahead bcoz you will be arrested for breaking the law. Ngabakutwala kuchimbokaila, ukalila nobushiku wafwyelwe. Amano sure kwati ni kapoli!
Mwata UPND in the Copperbelt don’t need 4 Buses, just a Toyota Hiece is enough
HH HH HH.No to Dictatorship!!
Let Elections come now.2016 is too far.
Why r Bembaz so frightened of HH??
They know once…….
HH you are such a coward. You thought the state would come begging for you to show up? See how stupid you look now in the eyes of the public? You now understand the atrociousness of your reckless utterances such that you even feign to be sick.
Respect the law, show up. We the people would judge if you are just being harassed or you have committed a crime.
How come you are still an underfive? I thought you would be a teenager by now… what happened with your growth and development?
Remember absurdity will never gain you any political mileage.
Thanx mate. Tell this bastard to own up. He thought he was clever and the state would kneel to him. Nomba all of a sudden, he’s ill. Te shikifye no mwenso wakutina ama cells alwele!
Dr Desai former Kabwe secondary school student
Old school politics! You need to be up to date in politics.
Please remember that in any incident when your solidarity with your political leaders goes riotous it is you who get hurt. your leaders are usually not on site and if they get caught up they are whisked to safety while you get beaten by police. For example on Monday if UPND escort HH, you may be hurt if you get riotous.Think. Think again .
Leave HH alone,we voted for but nothing is happening , how many times are you going to cheat us? we mbushi we…
HH and pride. Just arrest him.
Law is law, if HH has evidence about PF training militias in Sudan, let him produce it. It does not help matters attacking DPP and the police when he is called upon to substantiate claims which he voluntarily issued. If that statement is false then HH qualifies for a very irresponsible leader
Lying lawyers
HH is really under 5 , he went for under five clinic
#21, Is that you urinating in people again?
HH is indeed a baby in politics. He does not know when to say yes or no. He will end up a miserable man. If he wants to get jailed, please ZP send them there for a long period of time. Heis diverting attention from real issues. Only shallow minded people can support hooligans entering a police station as though it was a market. Inow miss the days of Kabonde, they would all have been locked up in cells till Monday next week.
Coward !
Lets meet in Lusaka, monday 10:00hrs to ensure that PF does’t destroy democracy. I don’t support HH but if PF is allowed to do this we are all doomed. How many times has Sata himself said worse things than this in the last 15yrs? Was he taken on by the police?
KEKEKEKE, ATI HE WENT FOR UNDER-5 CLINIC. VACCINATION WEEK MAY BE AT VICTORIA HOSPITAL
Dr Desai india catrastrated the man for sure, HH becarefull.
Haha yaba sure HH is under 5. He was just fine in the morning and then after 3 minutes he fell sick as a baby does and went for under 5 clinic. Haha this under 5 HH.
can ZP concetrate on stopping the murders of women than an issue which did not cause any alarm to zambians. can ZP tell us who was alarmed.
I regret voting for ukwa come 2016 HH is my man
#14 ,16 and 17 good thinking and contributions I think HH has lost it,even Nevers mumba is a bit more mature than him.milupi is better than HH in terms of maturity.
You have always raised dust and yet you keep failing.
How many alarming statements did sata and the PF make? Sadam hussein in zambia, zim police to help) win elections, jumping ink pens, fake kwacha, 3 trillion kwacha illegally printed and in circulatio etc. How many times have they been summoned by police? Zero
Sata politically Lied left right and centre. JUST watch Chanda Chimba III programs. It will show clearly Sata Himself saying things that were not there. Sata once even accussed KK and UNIP of having hidden arms at Sindamisale farm. Sata lied a lot about RB, levy and FTJ. So bloggers let us not criminalise HH. sata even at swearing in ceremony repeated his 90 days formula to transform Zambia and solve unemployment. has it happened?????
Maybe HH went for his polio vaccination!! Or better still, a parvo vaccination since HH’s behavioutr is similar to that of a puppy dog
All have come short of the glory of God. Can anyone who is holy be the first one to through a stone @ hh.
Ok bane..this just cheap politics. If HH is being accused of causing fear and alarming the public,why doesnt the PF government explain clearly to the nation what exactly is the deal with the Sudanese govt regarding our youth if they so care about the people being alarmed?
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