COURT CLEARS SYAKALIMA OF HATE SPEECH
THE Lusaka magistrate court has dismissed a case where Patriots for Economic Progress ( PeP) leader Sean Tembo sued Education Minister, Douglas Syakalima for hate speech.
The court also ruled that the accused in the matter should be discharged henceforth.
The accused person, Syakalima was present before the court and sat in the accused docket.
In this matter, Tembo had dragged Minister of Education to court for calling people of Luapula that “they have a poverty of the mind.”
He filed a complaint in the Lusaka Magistrates’ Court against Syakalima for hate speech.
Mr. Tembo, in an affidavit in support of complaint said the said statement expresses hostility and segregation against the people of Luapula Province of Zambia.
But when the matter came up yesterday, the court said it received the instructions to dismiss the case against Syakalima.
The matter which was supposed to come for a ruling on an application made by Tembo for an arrest warrant against Syakalima for failure to appear in court at the last sitting on June 8, 2024 despite having being served with summons, however the court said she received a letter from the Director of Public prosecutions ( DPP) Mr. Gilbert Phiri to allow the court dismiss authority to privately prosecute the case.
“By virtues of my clerk having received copy of letter where authority to privately prosecute the case has been denied, I am of the firm view that this letter makes it clear that I don’t have jurisdiction to hear the case. Accused is discharged forthwith.