INSPECTOR General of Police Graphael Musamba this morning appeared before the Lusaka Magistrate's Court in connection with a defamation complaint filed against him by Socialist Party leader Fred M'membe.
When the case was called, Lusaka Magistrate Crispin Hampungani was informed that consent to prosecute the case has not been issued by the Director of Public Prosecutions.
The court was also informed that no reasons have been give by the DPP office as to why the consent has not been granted.
"We have not received any report from the DPP as to why consent has not been granted. The representative from Attorney General is before you and might have an explanation as to why consent has not been granted," one of the lawyers prosecuting the case said.
But the magistrate retorted saying" I don't think it is in order to ask a lawyer from the Attorney General's chambers to state why consent has not been issued by the DPP".
At this point, the magistrate asked Mr Musamba as to why he did not come to court at the last sitting.
"I consulted my advocate and was advised not to appear," the IG responded.
The magistrate advised him that in the coming sittings, he has to be present or send someone to explain his whereabouts when unavailable.
The matter will resume on Friday for mention.
Last month, Dr Mmembe filed a defamation complaint before the Lusaka Magistrate Court’s criminal jurisdiction against Inspector Mr Musamba.
The complaint is in relation to Mr Musamba’s recent press briefing in which the police chief is quoted having said Dr M’membe’s statements on various social media platforms were inciting peace-loving Zambians into a civil disobedience.
But in his complainant, Dr Mmembe, a journalist and lawyer, complained that Mr Musamba’s utterances, in their natural and ordinary meaning were meant and understood to mean that he was instigating rebellion and anarchy in the country.
He then filed a defamation complaint against the Inspector General.
But when the matter first came up, the IG was nowhere to been seen prompting prosecutors to apply for issuance of an arrest warrant.
But the same was declined by the court.
Src: Mwebantu
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