COPPERBELT Police Commissioner Charity Katanga says police are still waiting for a “response” to take photographer Chellah Tukuta to court.

And Ndola Central police have restricted visits to only Tukuta’s family members and lawyers.

On Monday, Tukuta was transferred from Lusaka to Ndola where four more new counts of criminal libel were slapped on him.

But when asked when he would appear in court in a brief interview, Katanga said police were still waiting for a “response”, without elaborating.

“We are still waiting for a response and the status quo remains the same,” said Katanga.

On Monday, Katanga had announced that Tukuta was facing four counts of criminal libel and two counts of threatening violence on the Copperbelt.

Katanga said the offences happened on separate dates but between May 26 and June 17, 2020.

She said the defamatory and hatred remarks and were made against Abdulai Khalif 68 of 5851 airport road in Itawa also the director of Khalif Motors limited.

She said Tukuta also threatened violence to Khalif.

“Yes he is in our custody he is facing four counts of libel and two counts of threatening violence and expressing the hatred ridicule to persons because of their race and place of their origin,” said Katanga.

“This occured on separate dates but between May 26 and June 17 this year where he Tukuta 34 of Lusaka posted on his Facebook account called Chella Tukuta Photography defamatory statement and hatred against Khalif also threatening violence in relation to the same man.”

She said other defamatory remarks were made against Benson Tembo 51 of plot number 2336 Kawama road in Pamodzi who is the secretary general for Petroleum Transporters Association of Zambia (PTAZ).

She said Chellah also defamed Langiwe Lungu 52, director general for Energy Regulation Board (ERB) of Kabulonga Lusaka.

Meanwhile, on Wednesday, Tukuta applied for habeas corpus in the Lusaka High Court.