The Lusaka magistrate has finally granted the New Labour Party leader Fresher Siwale K10,000 bail in his own recognizance with two working sureties.

This is the case in which Siwale has been accused of defaming the president by charging that he stole someone else’s identity as his real name is actually Johnathan Mutawale and not Edgar Lungu.

Siwale is alleged to have on April 22, 2018, with intent to bring the name of President Edgar Lungu into ridicule, published defamatory matter by word of mouth to which he said ‘the President of the Republic of Zambia is not the actual Edgar Chagwa Lungu but Jonathan Mutawale, he must be arrested for having three National Registration Cards, he is an identity thief’.

When the matter came up for plea before principle resident magistrate Alice Walusiku, Thursday, Siwale pleaded not guilty to the case of defamation.

Meanwhile, the court granted him K10,000 bail in his own recognizance with two working sureties who both should either hold a managerial or directorate position and one of which must be working for government.

Magistrate Walusiku has since adjourned the matter to May 23 and 24, 2018.

By broadcast time, Siwale had not yet met the bail conditions.