A DEPUTY police officer in charge of cyber crimes has testified that from his analysis, Cornelius Mulenga Tukuta is the user of a Facebook page in the names of “Chella Tukuta Photography”.

Prince Kalala told the court that his findings were that the said Facebook page was being operated by an MTN mobile number which was registered in the names of Cornelius Mulenga Tukuta.

Kalala was testifying in a matter in which Lusaka photographer, Cornelius Chella Tukuta is charged with libel before the Lusaka Magistrates’ Court.

It is alleged that Tukuta on May 26, 2020 in Lusaka, published defamatory matter affecting Chief Government Spokesperson Dora Siliya in the form of a video on Facebook that “This Dora Siliya is hooking up girls, selling girls to the high profile people, so that men can be sleeping [with them], she is actually the highest of the highest professional prostitute. If Dora Siliya is refusing these allegations that she does not connect girls to high profile people for sex, let her come”.

He had pleaded not guilty to the charge and trial commenced with Siliya testifying in the matter as the first prosecution witness.

And when the matter came up for continued trial before Chief Resident Magistrate Lameck Mwale, Wednesday, Kalala who is based at Police headquarters testified that in June this year, he was assigned to establish the owner of a Facebook page in the names of Chella Tukuta Photography.

He said this was following the receipt of a complaint that was being investigated by the Police regarding defamatory remarks which were allegedly being posted, or circulated on the Chella Tukuta Photography Facebook page.

Kalala said the said defamatory remarks were attributed to Siliya who is Minister of Information, Lusaka Province Minister Bowman Lusambo, among others.

He said following the receipt of the complaint he commenced his analysis by reviewing the page in the names of Chella Tukuta Photography, using investigative tools.

Kalala said his approach of analysis was to first review the timeline of the said Facebook page with the view of establishing details which appear on the profile of the page, and also identify the person behind it.

He said from his analysis, Cornelius Mulenga Tukuta was the user of Facebook page in the names of Chella Tukuta photography.

Kalala added that the registered owner of the mobile number that was being used to operate the said Facebook page was in the names of Cornelius Mulenga Tukuta despite his Facebook user name of ‘Chella Tukuta [Photography]’.

“My findings are as follows; I discovered that the Facebook page in the names of Chella Tukuta Photography was being operated by mobile number 0962443045. I then moved to the postings. I discovered that on a daily basis, at a particular hour the page user would go live and giving a brief of what would be discussed during the live recording. Further review, the page had a posting that was done on June 15, 2020 by the user who was seeking for financial help and advised those willing to help to either send mobile money or contact him on 0962443045,” he said.

“I got interested because the same number that appeared as the user of the page was also posted on June 15 as a contact number to solicit for financial help. The question that came to me was who is 0962443045. According to information obtained by the arresting officer from MTN indicated that the said number was registered in the names of Cornelius Mulenga Tukuta.”

The State witness said it was also discovered that Cornelius Mulenga Tukuta had another number registered in his names, which was an Airtel number.

Kalala said having concluded his analysis, he prepared an analysis report indicating his findings.

In cross examination, defence lawyer Mulambo Haimbe asked the witness to confirm whether page 18 of his report contained any of the words which were in the indictment, and in response Kalala said “the wording is different”.

Also asked if from his entire report he had reproduced anything from the alleged Facebook page to match with what was contained in the indictment, Kalala insisted that he had reproduced.

He however, admitted that his report did not contain a transcript of the words allegedly uttered by the accused person.

The matter comes up January 22, next year for continued trial.