PF information and publicity chairperson Raphael Nakacinda on Friday denied his second Defamation of the President charge in the Solwezi Magistrates’ Court.

He, however, did not take plea in the second count of expressing or showing hatred, ridicule or contempt as consent to prosecute had not yet been granted by the Director of Public Prosecutions.

Speaking shortly after the court appearance, Friday, Nakacinda’s lawyer said the accused had been granted bail in the sum of K25,000, but in his own recognizance.

“He has been granted bail in the sum of K25,000 in his own recognizance. The court has further requested that he provides three working sureties. He has taken plea in count one and that count related to Defamation of the President. He denied the charge. However, in count two, he was unable to take plea because it requires consent from the DPP. We await consent from the DPP so that he can take plea in count two. He will next appear sometime in May. Hoping that by then all formalities would have been done on the side of NPA in that consent would have been granted or not to proceed with the institution of prosecution. So he is just undergoing formalities and screening of sureties and he will be out,” said the lawyer.

On Wednesday last week, Police charged and arrested Nakacinda with two offences of Defamation of the President and Expressing or showing hatred, ridicule or contempt.

Nakacinda is also facing another charge of Defamation of the President in the Lusaka Magistrates’ Court.