Tayali acquitted of criminal libel following reconciliation with HH
By Staff Reporter
THE Lusaka Magistrates’ Court has acquitted Economic and Equity Party leader Chilufya Tayali of criminal libel following his reconciliation with UPND leader Hakainde Hichilema.
Allegations were that Tayali between October 1 and 9, 2018 in Lusaka unlawfully published a defamatory article concerning Hichilema
with intent to injure his reputation by exposing him to hatred,
contempt and ridicule.
But when the case was called before magistrate Felix Kaoma yesterday, Monday, Hichilema’s lawyers Laston Mwanabo told the court that the parties have reconciled voluntarily and conditions attached have been set out.
He said following the reconciliation, he was applying that the proceedings be terminated pursuant to section 8 of the Criminal Procedural Court (CPC).
Mwanabo said the conditions as agreed or communicated to the accused was that facts leading to commencement of the proceedings would not be repeated and that there would be issues of compensation.
He told the court that it was safe to inform the court that parties had reconciled.
And after hearing from Mwanabo, a position Tayali confirmed, magistrate Kaoma acquitted the accused.
