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The Lusaka Magistrates’ Court has heard that Patriotic Front (PF) Information and Publicity Chairperson, Emmanuel Mwamba, has not been brought before the court due to his continued stay abroad.
Prosecution officer, Deputy Chief Inspector Justin Makumbe, informed Senior Resident Magistrate Trevor Kasanda that the bench warrant issued against Mwamba on February 6, 2025, remained unexecuted.
“I have made contact with the Immigration Department in case the accused returns to Zambia, so they can alert us,” Makumbe said.
When asked how much more time would be needed to enforce the warrant, Makumbe responded that it was difficult to estimate.
Magistrate Kasanda directed State Prosecutor Robert Malama to ensure that defence lawyers were present at the next sitting to determine whether the case will proceed to judgment or if additional witnesses will be called.
The matter was adjourned to June 2, 2025.
Mwamba is facing one count of assaulting a police officer. He is alleged to have assaulted Detective Inspector Steven Simwenda of the Zambia Police Service on June 14, 2023, during the execution of official duties.
Meanwhile, Magistrate Kasanda also postponed judgment in a separate case involving PF Member of Parliament, Maureen Mabonga, who is facing charges of seditious practices.
The ruling was deferred to May 16, 2025, as the judgment was not yet ready.
Mabonga is accused of making inflammatory and potentially seditious remarks between May 25 and May 28, 2024, following the disappearance of then Petauke MP, Emmanuel Jay Banda.
In the first count, Mabonga allegedly stated:
“Do you want us to be moving with guns? Start killing each other? Is this where we are going? Is this what we want as Zambians? Because we can do it. Today it is Jay Jay that has been abducted. Tomorrow it is another person and you want us to sit back and relax…”
Prosecutors argued that the remarks were likely to incite violence or disturb the peace.
In the second count, she allegedly said:
“Every Bemba speaking is a criminal according to them… They hate him because he is from the Eastern Province… They hate Jay Jay Banda because he is also from PF… We are not going to lose our people like that and we sit back just like that…”
The prosecution cited these comments as capable of fuelling tribal and political tensions.
Mabonga has denied the charges, stating that her comments were intended to highlight what she described as violence and intimidation faced by PF members.
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