Lukuku posted seditious article on a group I am an admin – PF cadre tells court
By Staff Reporter
A WITNESS has testified that Republican Progressive Party leader James Lukuku posted a seditious statement in a WhatsApp group inciting riots against the Chinese.
PF supporter Ibrahim Mwamba, 33, of Woodlands Chalala, said the seditious statement was posted in a youth WhatsApp group in which he is an administrator.
Mwamba was testifying before chief resident magistrate Lameck Mwale in a case in which Lukuku is alleged to have between November 1 and 5 November, last year, uttered a seditious speech titled “Kitwe riots against China are welcome , let us multiply these riots a million fold which was sent to five Watsapp groups’
Lukulu is charged with expressing or showing ridicule or contempt for persons because of race.
It is alleged that between the same dates, Lukuku uttered words and published writings expressing and showing hatred, ridicule or contempt for Chinese nationals wholly or mainly because of their race, place of origin or colour in a speech titled”Kitwe riots against China are welcome, let us multiply the riots in a million folds sent to five WhatsApp groups.
He pleaded not guilty.
However, Mwamba said he reported Lukuku to the police as the admin for the group.
He said Lukuku posted the article on the group on November 5, 2018 around 16:00hours.
Mwamba said as an administrator of the group, he was disturbed because this was not the agenda of the group.
“As a Zambian citizen, seeing a fellow Zambian posting such an article in a group where there are people from all over the country, i was disturbed.
Zambia and China share a good relationship, I feared it would put the relationship between the two countries in bad terms,” he said.
Mwamba said the statement was bad because Zambia is a beacon of peace.
The witness said he did not reprimand Lukuku or remove him from the group but reported the matter to police headquarters where he was told that the matter would be investigated.
Mwamba also told court that he did not know Lukuku personally but that the accused’s phone number 0977-132848 displayed as RPP1 in the WhatsApp group.
He said Lukuku also signed off his name in every article he authored and posted in the group.
When cross examined, Mwamba said he is not a PF cadre but that he is a sympathiser.
He said Lukuku wrote the article in question because it came from his number and the police confirmed it.
Mwamba said he maintained Lukuku in the group despite advocating violence against the Chinese, because the accused adds value to the group.
He said from the time he reported Lukuku to the police, he stopped posting anything against the rules of the group.
The matter was adjourned to August 7 for continued hearing.
