Witness testifies in Siwale’s defamation case against Lungu
By Staff Reporter
THE Lusaka Magistrates’ Court has heard that the two National Registration Cards bearing the names of Edgar Chagwa Lungu and Edgar Lungu belong to two different people.
Testifying before magistrate Alice Walusiku today, Agnes Mwalukanuna Musonda, a registrar at the Department of National Registration Passport and Citizenship, said NRC no. 216992/67/1 belongs to Edgar Chagwa Lungu who was born on November 11, 1956 in Ndola while the one for NRC no. 652489/11/1 belongs to Edgar Lungu who was born in Lusaka on February 2,1974.
In this case, New Labour Party leader Fresher Siwale is charged with defamation of President Lungu by calling him as an identity fraud.It is alleged that Siwale on April 22, 2018 with intent to bring the name of the President into ridicule published defamatory matter by word of mouth to which he said, “the President of Zambia is not the actual Edgar Chagwa Lungu but Jonathan Mutawale”.
Siwale called for President Lungu’s arrest for allegedly having three National Registration Cards as he is an identity thief”.
And Musonda recalled receiving a letter from the Inspector General of Police requiring verification of two NRCs being NRC no. 216992/67/1 and NRC no. 652489/11/1.
She said according to the records, she informed the police that NRC no. 216992/67/1 was issued to Edgar Lungu who was born on November 11, 1956 in Ndola while NRC No. 652489/11/1 was issued to Edgar Lungu born on February 7, 1974 in Lusaka on June 27, 1995.
Musonda said Edgar Lungu whose NRC no. 216992/67/1 was residing at 4001, Chimwemwe, Kitwe at the time he was getting the NRC while the one with NRC no. 652489/11/1 was residing at Chaholi Road in Rhodes Park area in Lusaka.
The witness said on November 18, 1986, Edgar Lungu applied for an addition of a name through a deed poll number 13/86 and on November 18, 1986, a notification was made.
Musonda explained that Edgar Lungu under NRC no. 652489/11/1’s village was Chibiza village, chief Kalindawalo in Petauke district .
She said at the time of getting the NRC after Independence when NRCs started to be issued to eligible persons, the
NRCs were designed with no provisions for the applicant’s father’s place of birth as such, the NRC for Edgar Chagwa Lungu which was initially Edgar Lungu as well had no provision of the place of birth for his father.
Musonda said as of to date the records shows Edgar Chagwa Lungu on the NRC no. 216992/67/1.
The witness said unlike the latest record of NRCs starting from 1987 which has the inclusion of the father’s place of birth, the NRCs also have the village, chief, district and name of the applicant’s father.
She said it was for the above reasons that the two NRCs belonged to two different people and that she was able to tell from the records that both Edgar Chagwa Lungu and Edgar Lungu were still alive.
Musonda disclosed that according to records, Edgar Chagwa Lungu was supposed to have an NRC with a village, chief and district of his father because he had his latest NRC on May 13 , 2003.
She, however, confirmed in cross examination by Siwale’s defence lawyer Gilbert Phiri that the national registration office was currently not computerized and she could not tell how many Edgar Lungus were there unless she was given an opportunity to check.
She also said the Edgar Chagwa Lungu who was being talked
about was the one who is the President of the Republic of Zambia and that people were free to debate or investigate his origin.
The matter comes up for continued trial on July 23, 2019.
