A WITNESS yesterday told a Lusaka magistrate’s court how Vice-President, George Kunda got annoyed when he was presented with photographs of a woman giving birth.
Kenneth Ngosa, 40, of plot number 7756 Woodlands extension, senior private secretary of the vice-president, testified that Mr Kunda said he was angry to see such pictures because at his age he had not seen a woman giving birth.
This is in a case in which The Post newspaper news editor, Chansa Kabwela pleaded not guilty to one count of circulating obscene materials contrary to Section 177 1(b) Cap 87 of the Penal Code.
It was alleged that between June 1 and 10 this year, Kabwela circulated two obscene photographs tending to corrupt morals of the public contrary to Section 177 of the Penal Code.
Mr Ngosa said this in examinations in chief led by director of prosecutions, Frank Mumbuna when the matter came up for commencement of trial before chief resident magistrate, Charles Kafunda.
Mr Ngosa said on June 11, 2009 around 11:30 hours he was on duty and received Kabwela’s letter of complaint addressed to Mr Kunda.
He said in the letter, Kabwela wanted Mr Kunda to intervene in the strike by health workers in government hospitals and other health centres.
Mr Ngosa said Kabwela said the Post was in possession of some pictures it had difficulties in publishing and that she was sending them to Mr Kunda so that he and his colleagues in Government could be moved in finding a solution to the strike situation.
He said Kabwela enclosed three pictures in the letter, one showing a naked woman lying down with legs open, and a baby coming out of her birth canal.
Mr Ngosa said the other picture was showing a pregnant woman being helped out of a motor vehicle by some people, while another showed a naked woman delivering a child, but that the picture was not very clear.
“Since the letter was addressed to the Vice President, I was supposed to take it with the pictures to him but I was hesitant due to what the pictures contained. I wanted to take them to him but I was at pains to present them to him,” he said.
He said he was moved by the pictures and decided to not show Mr Kunda and opted to just brief him on the photographs he had received from The Post newspaper.
Mr Ngosa said he told Mr Kunda the photographs were not right for him to see but the vice-president insisted that he be shown the letter and the pictures.
He said after he was shown the pictures, Mr Kunda called him back into the office and told him that he was annoyed to see pictures of that nature.
“After his honour saw the letter and the photographs, he called me back into the office and told me that he was very annoyed to see such kind of a picture,” Mr Ngosa said.
He said on June 12 this year, he received a complaint letter from the Non Governmental Organisation Coordinating Council (NGOCC) addressed to Kabwela and copied to Mr Kunda.
Mr Ngosa also said that on June 16 this year he received an apology letter from The Post newspaper apologising to the NGOCC for circulating the pictures.
In cross-examinations led by Remmy Mainza, Mr Ngosa said there were other ways of solving problems than circulating pictures.
He said he was moved by the sight of the pictures saying that it was his wish that a solution was found to bring to an end the strike in hospitals.
Mr Ngosa said to his knowledge , Mr Kunda had not responded to the letters on the circulation of the alleged obscene pictures.
Another witness Chiwale Solochi of house number B 30 State Lodge police camp, said he did not have the chance to see the contents of the letter because his duty was just to receive and take any mail to the secretary.
The matter continues today.
[Times of Zambia/Zambia Daily Mail]
