Mongu Magistrates Court today convicted and sentenced a Medical Doctor of Luampa Mission Hospital in Western Province identified as Dr Kwalela Kafunya to three years imprisonment on three counts of Defamation of the President, Written Threats to Murder and Giving False Information.

Facts of the matter are that Dr Kafunya created a fake Facebook Account for purposes of bringing the name of the Republican President in ridicule by posting disturbing remarks, insults and digitally altering images of the Republican President with intent to bring his name into disrepute using a facebook account created in the names of another person who is also a medical Doctor at the same Hospital.

Dr Kafunya further sent written threats to Murder to the Doctor in whose name the Facebook account was created through text messages while in another count, Dr Kafunya gave False Information to a Public Officer of Simon Mwansa Kapwepwe Police Station.

For the offences of Defamation of the President and Giving False Information to a Public Officer, Dr Kafunya was sentenced to two years imprisonment for each count while for written threat to Murder; he was sentenced to three years.

The sentences will run concurrently meaning that he will serve a period of three years.

Police Spokesperson Esther Katongo confirmed the development in a statement saying “as Zambia Police, we welcome this judgment and we believe that this conviction will send a strong warning to all those that are in a habit of abusing social media because officers are working round the clock to bring perpetrators to book.”

The Meteorological Department says most parts of the country has so far received normal to above normal rainfall activities.

Senior Metrologist Loveness Nikisi said mostly the country has received normal rainfall activities apart from some portions of Lusaka, Southern ,Western and Eastern provinces that have had below normal rain fall activities.

Ms.Nikisi told ZANIS today that the department is hopeful that areas that have had no rains will start seeing rainfall activities.

“The country has so far received normal to above normal rainfall activities apart from parts of Lusaka, Eastern and Western Province. We are hopeful that these areas will start seeing an increase in the rainfall activities,” explained Ms.Nikisi.

She explained that areas that are having reduced rainfall activities like Lusaka, Western and Eastern will experience less fall activities up to the 15th of this Month when they will receive few rainfall activities.

“From today to the 15th of this month most parts of the country will have reduced rainfall activities apart from the Northern part of the country that will continue receiving normal rainfall,” said Ms.Nikisi.

The Senior Metrologist affirmed that from 16th to 19th January most parts of the country will have increased rainfall activities.

She further urged farmers not to lose hope because the department is hopeful that the areas that had dry spell will pick up and receive normal rainfall activities.

Zambia’s Ambassador to the United States (US) Ngosa Sibyakula says Zambia supports the African Union’s stance to harness the efforts of people of African descent all over the world to invest in African countries.

Dr. Simbyakula said the African Union diaspora division serves as the focal point and hub for implementing the decision to invite and encourage the African diaspora to participate in the building and development of the African continent.

He noted that the African diaspora in the US serves as a catalyst for rebuilding the global African family in the service of the development and integration agenda of the continent.

Dr. Simbyakula said this when Diversity Restoration Solution (DRS) President Eric Sheppard paid a courtesy call on him at the Embassy in Washington D.C.

Meanwhile, Mr. Sheppard announced that the African American diaspora in the US have started preparations to host the 2018 Africa homecoming joint planning tourism and trade conference to be held in the US in July this year.

Mr. Sheppard said the event is part of the preparations for the 400- year anniversary milestone of African descent coming to America.

He stated that Zambia has been selected as the hub for the global centre of restoration of the African American Diaspora in 2019, to introduce the African continent to massive business tourism, economic trade and restoration of cultural relationship with African countries.

The project dubbed “2019 Africa Homecoming Project” is being spearheaded by Diversity Restoration Solution.

The Zambian government has since, being proposed to build a multi-million dollar state of the art Restoration Centre Headquarters for Africa in Zambia.

The DRS is a business tourism and international project development firm specializing in linking together the US and African businesses and organisations.

This is contained in a statement released to ZANIS in Lusaka today by First Secretary for Press and Public Relations at the Zambian Embassy in Washington DC, Cosmas Chileshe.

The Drug Enforcement Commission in Lusaka has arrested and jointly charged three Police officers for being in possession of over K2 million counterfeit notes.

The three are identified as Chief Inspector Maybin Kasezya, 43, of Chelston Police Station, Inspector Maureen Nawa, 45, also of Chelston Police Station and Sergeant Joyford Mambe, 29, of Nakonde Police Station who is believed to have couriered the contraband.

The suspects have been charged with being in possession of counterfeit notes amounting to over K2.4 million in K100 bills after being intercepted in Lusaka’s Chelston Township when they were about to transact.

DEC Public Relations Officer Theresa Katongo who confirmed the arrest said the Commission strongly reiterates its caution to members of the public to familiarise themselves with the features of the Zambian Kwacha and look out for unscrupulous individuals behind a spate of counterfeit notes as the Commission will not relent in its mandate to ensure that individuals behind such illicit activities are brought to book.

The suspects are currently in Police custody and will appear in court soon.

President Edgar Lungu has sworn in 3 Judges of the Court of Appeals and 1 High Court Judge with a call on the judges to uphold the integrity and independence of the Judiciary.

Speaking during the swearing in ceremony at state house this morning, President Lungu said people have raised concerns with the manner in which the Judiciary has conducted itself and urged judges to ensure they change the bad perception that has been painted over the years.

The President said the judges can only change people’s perception of the judiciary if they stop socializing with people perceived to be of bad conduct in society and be selective in their contacts.

The Head of State observed that people can misconstrue the conduct of judges and doubt their judgement based on the people judges associate themselves with in society.

He said it is the duty of the judges to guard the integrity and independence of the judiciary through their conduct when delivering justice.

The President also expressed happiness that the appointment of the judges for the Court of Appeal was gender balanced and expressed optimism that the judges who were sworn in will deliver as Parliament scrutinized them before ratification.

Those sworn in as judges of the Appeals Court include Justice Mwiinde Siavwapa, Betty Mwaka Majula, and Petronella Chama Mwitwa-Ngulube while Justice Conceptor Chinyanwa Zulu was sworn in a High Court Judge.

The ceremony was witnessed by Chief Justice Ireen Mambilima, Minister of Justice Given Lubinda and Deputy Secretary to the Cabinet Patrick Kangwa among other Government Officials.

The Court of Appeal which lies between the High Court and the Supreme Court on the court structure was established in 2015 under Article 130 of the amended Constitution of Zambia.