HH WAS A SUSPECT IN OUR ABDUCTION - PHELUNA HATEMBO
… tells court that her brothers primarily suspected President Hichilema in opposition as a suspect because were fighting with him over the 1924 farm in Kalomo
THE Lusaka magistrate court has heard how Pheluna Hatembo’s brothers suspected that it was President Hakainde Hichilema who had abducted their siblings because they were fighting with him over the 1924 farmland in Kalomo district of Southern Province.
When the matter came up yesterday for continued cross examination before magistrate Amy Masoja, one of the defense lawyers, Mr. Tresford Chali presented before court a video of Ms. Hatembo’s brothers demanding the release of their missing siblings namely Pheluna and Milton Hatembo.
Mr. Chali asked if her brothers were right by suspecting that it was Mr. Hichilema who had abducted their siblings. In response, Ms Hatembo said the reason they suspected so was they never knew what was happening to her and her brother.
“The reason my brothers suspected that it was Mr. Hichilema who abducted us is they never knew what was happening because the ones who were in danger was me and Milton. They knew nothing,” she said.
When further asked why Ms. Hatembo never reported her abduction to the police at that time, she said she was scared that she was going to be killed as warned.
Mr. Chali asked why she decided to tell Kenneth Magaleta about their abduction instead of telling his family members, Ms. Hatembo said they were scared that they are going to be killed.
In this matter, Forum for Democracy and Development ( FDD) president, Edith Nawakwi, 63, pleaded not guilty to four counts of threatening violence Contrary to Section 90 ( a) of the Penal Code Chapter 87 and Kidnapping or abducting with intent to confine person Contrary to Section 256 of the Penal Code Chapter 87 of the Laws of Zambia.
It is alleged that between August 31, 2021 and September 1, 2022, while acting with others unknown, with intent to cause injury or alarm, threatened to kill Milton Hatembo and Pheluna Hatembo to which she said “I will kill you by chopping you head if you tell anyone whatever I discuss”. It is also alleged that between the same dates, Nawakwi, jointly and while acting with unknown others, abducted the Hatembos from Choma to Lusaka with intent to cause them to be secretly and wrongly confined against her wishes.
Meanwhile, the court has ruled that the defense be granted time to submit before court two videos where Pheluna Hatembo was addressing the media and also to visit the two lodges which Nawakwi, allegedly took her and her brother after an alleged abduction. This was after the defense applied that they needed to visit the lodges and watch the videos for purposes of cross examination.
The defense also submitted that they needed to view the farm in Kalomo district.