UPND seditious case fails again

By ANDREW MUKOMA THE seditious practices case against United Party for National Development (UPND) Livingstone district spokesperson Neto Halwabala has failed to take off for the fourth time in the Livingstone Magistrates’ Court. This followed the absence of Chief Resident Magistrate Willie Sinyangwe, who is handling the matter.

When the case was called in the fully packed courtroom on Thursday morning, Livingstone Magistrate Michael Mulalelo, who was sitting in for Mr. Sinyangwe, told the prosecution and the defence that the magistrate in charge of the matter was out of town.

Magistrate Mulalelo informed Halwabala that he only appeared before him for mention and that his trial date would be set by the prosecution and the defence.

The two parties agreed that the matter be adjourned to February 27, 2018 for another mention and fixing of trial date.

Halwabala was on June 13 last year arrested and charged with one count of seditious utterances, the charge he has denied.

Particulars of the offence were that between February 23 and 24, 2017, Halwabala uttered seditious words by claiming that Zambia was no longer a safe country under President Edgar Lungu’s leadership.

His trial has never started and he is being represented by lawyers Martha Mushipe and Fredrik Chunga.