By Esther Chisola
The Lusaka Magistrates’ Court has found Mfuwe member of parliament Maureen Mabonga with a case to answer in a case where she is charged with seditious practice.
When the matter came up for ruling on case to answer, Magistrate Trevor Kasanda ruled that a prima facie case had been proved.
“After hearing the prosecution’s witnesses and evidence, I am satisfied that a prima facie case has been proved,” ruled the court.
Magistrate Kasanda placed Mabonga on her defence.
“A case to answer has been found and therefore, place the accused person on her defence,” ruled the court.
In this matter, Mabonga pleaded not guilty to two counts of seditious practices contrary to section 57 (1) (b) as read with Section 60(1) (1) of the Penal Code Act Chapter 87 of the Laws of the Republic of Zambia.
She will open her defence on October 8, 2024.
It is alleged in count one that Mabonga on a date unknown but between May 25, 2024 and May 28, 2024 in Lusaka uttered seditious words to which she said, “do you want us to be moving with guns? Start killing each other? Is this where we are going? Is this what we want as Zambians? Because we can do it. Today it is Jay Jay that has been abducted. Tomorrow it is another person and you want us to sit back and relax … After all, you got power. We don’t understand why people are still bitter. Country men and women we are going to fight if it is the fight they want. We are going to fight and we are ready to fight,” among other words to incite violence or any offence prejudicial to public order or in disturbance of the public peace.
Allegations in count two are that, Mabonga on the same dates uttered seditious words to which she said, “every Bemba speaking is a criminal according to them and they must not leave even people from Eastern Province. We know all these things and we are saying enough is enough. We are also human beings and we can also react. We are also violent if you don’t know. We are very violent and we are larger in number.” Our people have been calling on us to say but why are we sitting back? Why are we being fought like this? Why are we not doing anything? We keep on telling them hold on, we can’t do it. We can’t start fighting,” among other words, to promote feelings of ill will or hostility between different communities or different parts of a community.
