by Barotse Imilemas
The Zambian Watchdog reported that the Lusaka High Court ruled that the offence of ‘publishing false news’ is unconstitutional and, therefore, void and no one should be arrested for publishing false news. However, The Zambian government this year arrested and subsequently jailed three Barotseland National Youth League members for allegedly publishing false information with intent to alarm the public. The three youths now saving a three-year jail term in Kaoma are Boris Muziba, Nayoto Mwenda and Sikwibele Wasilota. This is clear manifestation of Zambia’s continued violation of the Human Rights of the Peoples of Barotseland. We demand unconditional release of our nationals. Judge Isaac Chali made the landmark ruling when he freed FODEP Director McDonald Chipenzi who has been charged with the same offence. In December 2013, the police arrested Chipenzi together with Richard Sakala of the Daily Nation newspaper after they alleged that police were conducting secret recruitments. Police spokesperson Charity Chanda said, “we have formally jointly charged and arrested the FODEP Executive Director McDonald Chipenzi, Daily Nation Newspaper Proprietor Richard Sakala and the Production Editor for the Daily Nation Newspaper, Simon Mwanza for the offense of Publication of false information with intent to cause alarm contrary to section 67 subsections (i) and (ii) of the penal code cap 87 of the laws of Zambia”. But Judge Chali said, “today that section 67 of the Penal Code is void as it offends the provisions of Articles 18 and 20 of the Constitution of Zambia”. Judge Chali further said, “that in the circumstances, the prosecution of the accused person is unconstitutional and, therefore, void as such proceedings cannot be permitted in a democratic society which has a Bill of Rights expressly entrenched in a written Constitution”.