ECL, MUNDUBILE DISOWN SAMPA

Mr Sampa has listed former President Lungu who enjoys immunity from prosecution as former head of State as one of the many witnesses he has lined up in a case he has been sued for criminal defamation.

When contacted, Mr Mundubile said Mr Sampa had never approached him to consider being his witness and that he had no idea about the matter and would therefore not be standing as a witness for Mr Sampa.

“Mr Sampa has never approached me to be his witness and I have no idea about the matter. I can therefore not go to court and be his witness,” Mr Mundubile said.

Mr Sampa has also listed Ms Faith Musonda, Dr Denny Kalyalya, the Bank of Zambia (BoZ) Governor, Tom Shamakamba, the Director General of the AntiCorruption Commission (ACC), Nason Banda, the Drug Enforcement Commission (DEC) Director General and the Inspector General of Police Graphael Musamba as some of the many witnesses he is intending to call.

In this matter before the Lusaka High Court, Mr Mvunga is demanding K100 million from Mr Sampa as damages for defamation, an apology and a restraining order against him.

Mr Sampa is contending that his defamation words that Mvunga released money from the central bank vault, which is alleged to have been found with Ms Musonda, were not defamatory but fair comment on a matter of public interest.

Mr Sampa, who purported that he was the president of the main and biggest opposition party in Zambia, the Patrotic Front (PF), stated that he was not the author of the said purported publication and merely asked for investigative wings to interrogate the allegations to avoid speculations.

He stated he posted the defamatory article on his official Facebook page in a manner of fair comment and in pursuit of public interest.

He has submitted that Mr Mvunga, being a public figure was not immune to public accountability and scrutiny.