FORMER Zesco board chairperson Mbita Chitala has denied defaming the Copperbelt Energy Corporation (CEC) and has further filed a counterclaim against the company, demanding compensatory damages for the damage to his reputation. CEC recently sued Chitala in Lusaka High Court, seeking exemplary damage for defamation and any other relief the court may deem fit. CEC stated that Chitala alleged in his book ‘Corporate Capture: The Political Economy of Electricity Management Between 2014 and 2021’ that it had colluded with influential individuals between 2014 and 2021 to disadvantage ZESCO in the power supply business, among others. However, in his defence and counterclaim, Chitala stated that CEC does not qualify to commence an action for defamation. Chitala stated that a company must...