GBM acquitted
By Staff Reporter
THE Lusaka Magistrates’ Court has acquitted former UPND vice-president Geoffrey Mwamba Mwamba for proposing violence after he threatened to go for the President Edgar Lungu’s throat on March 2, 2016.
GBM, who recently resigned from UPND and re-joined the PF, was acquitted today by Lusaka magistrate Nthandose Chabala.
Ruling in whether GBM had a case to answer or not, magistrate Chabala said she was acquitting GBM because the arresting officer admitted in court that he did not investigate the matter .
She said the Supreme Court has guided that where a matter was not investigated, the judgement should be given in favour of the suspect.
Magistrate Chabala said this was so because it is assumed that had the case being investigated, the evidence would have favoured the suspect.
She observed that all the witnesses who appeared in court failed to identify the Edgar Lungu that GBM allegedly referred to when they are so many people with similar names.
Magistrate Chabala further observed that a journalist who covered the story did not only fail to produce a recording but also told the court that he did not remember what GBM said .
The court said based on the totality of the evidence presented, there was no reason to place GBM on his defence and acquitted him.
Speaking to journalist, GBM welcomed the decision, saying the State failed to prove their case beyond any reasonable doubt .
GBM was represented by Lusaka lawyer Keith Mweemba and Gilbert Phiri.