EIA, News Diggers, oppose Lubinda, Kapata application

A US-BASED investigative agency and the News Diggers Newspaper have opposed an application for an order of injunction to restrain them from publishing articles based on Mukula smuggling allegations against President dgar ungu’s daughter Tasila and two others.. This is in a matter in which Tasila, Lands Minister Jean Kapata and Justice Minister Given Lubinda have sued News Diggers Media Limited, its reporter Funga Mukosha and the Environmental Investigation Agency (EIA) in the Lusaka high court seeking damages for libel for linking them to the illegal sale of Mukula. Tasila, Ms Kapata and Mr Lubinda are also seeking an interim and permanent injunction restraining News Diggers and the EIA from publishing similar libelous and malicious articles and opinions relating to them until determination of the case. But in an affidavit in opposition to an application for interim injunction News Diggers managing director Joseph Mwenda and EIA executive director Alexander Von Bismarck have justified their publications stating that it was a just and fair comment on a matter of public interest. Mr Mwenda and Mr. Bismarck said on the information they have possessed they will be pleading the defence of justification and fair comment on a matter of public interest. Mr. Bismarck claimed that his organisation conducted a thorough investigation into the trade of Zambian Mukula - a subject which is discussed widely in Zambia, on the internet in the last few years.