Journalists from four media institutions were yesterday barred from covering an adultery case involving a local court judge.
The case was scheduled to take off at Luanshya main court.
Wynter Machiya who presides at Masaiti local court has been dragged to court by Joseph Njelesani,a water distribution foreman at Kafubu water and sewerage company in Luanshya, who alleges that Machiya had been having an affair with his wife, Veronica Phiri,27.
The visibly annoyed William Nyoni asked the journalists if they had identity cards and letters of authorisation from the relevant authorities for them to attend the court session.
It appeared Mr Nyoni did not want the journalists to cover the court case because it involved a local court judge, who was his superior.
The journalists were forced to follow the court proceedings from the windows as they were denied entry in to the court room.
Mr Nyoni said he was doing so to protect his job as one of his colleagues was fired from his job for allowing journalists in to a court room to cover a similar case.
“Where are your IDs? I am only trying to protect my job. My friend landed into problems for allowing people like you in to a court session such as this one,” Mr Nyoni said.
The affected scribes are from the Times of Zambia, Zambia Daily mail, The Post and Muvi TV.
But acting Luanshya District Commissioner Michael Tandeo expressed disappointment at the action taken by Mr Nyoni adding that the Journalists had a duty to educate and inform the public on such matters.
Mr Tandeo wondered as to what was so special for Reporters not to be allowed to cover Machiya’s case as he had seen journalists cover such cases at the same courts before.
Yashani ?
protect yo job mwandi.jobs are hard to find nowadays.
Pracitise what you ‘preach’ imwe wa local court justices
It is the usual story in Zambia; people will break the law just to protect their jobs. Remember Sata has said Juniors who follow wrong orders from their bosses will also be disciplined. Watch out Nyoni – the axe is hovering above your head right now!
Mr president,the chief justice, mr kabimba sir,somebody. Tried all channels to get help and hav no choice,but thru this platform hope to get some attention. Please somebody tell JUDGE EMELIA SUNKUTU to deal with the more than 46 judgements at the industrial relations court,some as far back as 8 to 9 YEARS pending before her. Please somebody intervene.
Someone really needs to do something about it
Yangu Mayo! Njelesani, you need to ask yourself why your wife is creeping? Are you performing well, are you a good provider? Otherwise she doesn’t love you!
It is so pathetic when a man takes another man to court for banging his wife!
This local court judge shud marry 2 women like kaingu and produce iris wu in turn, provide entertainment to zambians.
even mukamwine kuti nacaya!
What I fell to understand is, does it mean that Zambian journalists carry no badges to identify them as the press? If a journalist is beaten when there is a protest, they should not complain if they do not have badges to identify them. If they cannot identify themselves at a court, how can the general population differentiate them from thugs?.
Good point Mushota
MK @9, I didn’t see that angle! You are right – Nyoni was, after all, within his rights to exercise that caution! Great! So it is the journalists actually breaking the law to keep their jobs… looks like they didn’t plan for that coverage.
So Kalok and MK @9&10 respectively you mean Banda did well to grab the journalist who was capturing him on video without having badges for identity? I think sometimes these journalists apply investigative journalism to dig sensitive issues thus they try to hide to surprise you with a full detailed story. these local court character has been inflicting adulterous men with fines and even passing judgements of breaking marriages of others but now when time to expose him comes he is given protection NO let the balance of justice prevail like he used to do to others. You never know he might have solicited the relationship through a court proceeding to loo that woman.
Mukakeni very stupid dog.
This is rubbish. The administration of justice by public officials in a public building such as a Court demands transparency. The local court judge, if that is what he is, acted beyond his powers. Any citizen of Zambia can, and should be able to, walk into a court hearing or even a session of parliament without hindrance such as ‘letters of authorisation’. They are PUBLIC institutions and it is a right, not a privilege, for a Zambian citizen to attend those places. Assert your rights people, they won’t be given to you. You have to demand them. Public officials are the ‘servant’ in the term ‘Civil Servant’ . Never forget that.