Zambia Air Force (ZAF) Projects Limited director Colonel Edgar Lungu has testified in the Lusaka Magistrates’ Court that New Labour Party leader Fresher Siwale displayed his National Registration Card (NRC) on Muvi TV’s Assignment programme, alleging that it belonged to President Edgar Chagwa Lungu.

In this matter, Siwale is charged with Defamation of the President.

He is alleged to have on April 22, 2018, with intent to bring the name of President 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!’

And when the matter came up for continued trial before Magistrate Alice Walusiku, Tuesday, Lungu, a ZAF officer based at Long Acres told the Court that the said Assignment programme displayed the NRC number, which was exactly the one he possessed.

He explained that he was the director of ZAF Projects Limited, a company incorporated by the Air Force for engaging in Private Public Partnership.

Lungu testified that as they were registering the company at the Patents and Companies Registration Agency (PACRA), they were required to submit their registration cards, adding that he submitted a photocopy of his NRC number 652489/11/1.

He told the Court that on April 26, this year, he was called by police at Force Headquarters to avail himself with particulars, in terms of his NRC.

Lungu testified that prior to that, he was watching Muvi TV’s Assignment programme where his NRC number was displayed.

He said he watched the programme on April 22, 2018, and the discussant, Siwale, was discussing the identity of President Lungu.

Lungu told the Court that the programme was going on well until he saw his NRC number displayed on the screen.

He added that later, as he was intending to proceed to go and verify it at the registration office, he was called at Force headquarters and hence his appearance in court.

Asked by State prosecutor Abraham Ngozo to describe his NRC, the witness said it had his face, signature, date of birth February 22, 1974, and that he got it on June 27, 1995.

He added that he replaced his NRC on June 26, 2006, after the old one was mutilated.

Further asked if he was related to the Head of State, the witness said no.

Trial continues on December 9, 2019.