Lukuku’s post was seditious, witness tell court
REPUBLICAN Progressive Party (RPP) leader James Lukuku posted a seditious statement in a youth WhatsApp group inciting riots against Chinese, a witness told a Lusaka magistrates court yesterday.
Ibrahim Mwamba, 33, a businessman of Woodlands Chalala, said that the alleged seditious statement was posted in a youth WhatsApp group in which Mr Mwamba is an administrator.
He was testifying in a matter before chief resident magistrate Lamech Mwale in which Lukuku is accused of inciting violence against Chinese.
It is alleged that between, 1 and 5 November last year, Lukuku, 39, uttered a seditious speech titled “Kitwe riots against China are welcome, let us multiply these riots a million times which was sent to five Whatsapp groups”. He is also facing charges of expressing or showing ridicule or contempt for people because of race.
Particulars are that between the same dates, Lukuku uttered words and published writings expressing and showing hatred, ridicule or contempt for Chinese 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.”
When the matter came up for trial yesterday, Mr Mwamba said on November 5, last year around 16:00hours, there was a disturbing article from the phone number 0977132848 with a title “Kitwe riots against Chinese are welcome and should be multiplied a million folds.”
He said as an administrator, he was disturbed because the posting was not the agenda of the social media group.
“I was disturbed seeing a fellow Zambian posting such an article in a group where there are people from different parts of the country.
“Zambia and China share a good relationship, I feared it would put the two countries relationship in bad terms because Zambia is a beacon of peace.” Mr Mwamba said.
And as trial continued, Mr Mwamba said he reported the matter to police force headquarters where he was told that the matter would be investigated.
He explained that he did not know Lukuku personally but that accused’s phone number displayed RPP1 in the WhatsApp group but that his name appeared in every article he wrote and posted in the WhatsApp group using phone number 097 7 132848.
When cross examined, Mr Mwamba denied being a Patriotic Front cadre but that he is a sympathiser.
He also confirmed that Lukuku wrote the article in question.
When asked why he kept Lukuku in the group despite advocating violence against Chinese, Mr Mwamba said he did so because Lukuku adds value to the group. He testified that from the time he reported the matter to the police, Lukuku stopped posting anything against the agenda of the Whatsapp group. The matter has been adjourned to August 7, 2019 for continuation of trial.