COURT DISCHARGES NINE BAROTSELAND ACTIVISTS
THE Livingstone Magistrate Court has discharged the nine Barotseland activists who were facing two counts of unlawful assembly, publications and unlawful possession of seditious materials contrary to the Laws of Zambia.
This was after the Director of Public Prosecutions Shawa Siyuni entered a nolle prosequi for the nine accused persons, namely George Akufuna, Phellem Kaingu, Beatrice Mukubesa Mubita, Bornbright Silumina, Ndopu Sanjola, Mange Sishekano, Philipa Mutukwa, Elliot Mbulawa and Nawa Lubasi, be discontinued under section 81 (1) of the Criminal Procedure Code, chapter 87 of the Laws of Zambia. Statement of offence is that the nine persons stood charged with the offence of unlawful possession of seditious publications contrary to section 57 (1) (b) (c) (2) of the Penal Code chapter 87 of the laws of Zambia. Particulars of the offence, in count one, are that George Akufuna, and eight others, on May 10, 2018 at Livingstone with other unknown persons, did assemble with intent to carry out some common purpose, and did not conduct themselves in such a manner as to cause persons in the neighborhood reasonably to fear the persons so assembled would commit the breach of peace or would by such assembly and without any reasonable occasion provoke other persons to commit the breach of peace. However, the accused persons denied the charge when they appeared before Magistrate William Banda. The accused persons in count two, were accused of being in unlawful possession of seditious publications, contrary to section 57 (1) (b) (c) (2) of the Penal Code, Chapter 87 of the Laws of Zambia. Particulars of offence are that, on the May 10, 2018 in Livingstone, Phellem Kaingu and eight others, without lawful excuse, had in their possession seditious publications or materials, namely two Barotseland North-Western Rhodesia and North Eastern Rhodesia 1905-1911 maps and a letter stating that the independence of Barotseland was divine, sacred, unstoppable, irreversible and irresistible. The accused were also found with a publication of a Star Newspaper purporting that Barotseland Secession was real. The accused persons who have since been appearing before court for mention while awaiting a certificate of concert from the Director of Public Prosecution to proceed with the matter, also denied this charge.