Lusaka High Court Registrar Aridah Chulu has thrown out a case in which a Lusaka businessman had sued UPND leader Hakainde Hichilema’s wife Mutinta for libel.
In this matter, Simon Bobo was seeking K5 billion compensation.
According to his statement of claim, Bobo alleged that Mutinta issued a fabricated story on April 30 that he blocked her vehicle, took pictures and insulted her at the Lusaka Central Prison after she visited her husband.
But Mutinta’s lawyers Keith Mweemba and Gilbert Phiri raised preliminary issues, asking the court to throw out the matter on the basis that Bobo had not named the publications which had carried the said defamatory words nor had he stated the words complained of.
Reacting to the preliminary issues raised by the defense, Bobo insisted that his matter be heard, accusing Mutinta of referring to him as a serial killer, sent by President Edgar Lungu, to murder her.
But in her ruling yesterday, Chulu dismissed the case, agreeing with the defense’ position.
“Going by the Plaintiff’s statement of claim, it is clear that he failed to categorize the actual defamatory words allegedly uttered by the Defendant. he has failed to satisfy the requirement as demanded by the Law of Defamation. I therefore dismiss the matter on points of law pursuant to O.14A and O.33 r 3 of the RSC 1999 edition,” said Chulu.