Court jails Mabonga as police thwart opposition protest

A BATTALION of police officers yesterday disrupted a peaceful protest and forcefully seized placards from various opposition leaders who had gathered at the Lusaka Magistrates’ Court to protest against the curtailed freedom of expression. This occurred shortly after Lusaka Senior Resident Magistrate Trevor Kasanda sentenced Mfuwe PF MP Maureen Mabonga to eight months simple imprisonment for sedition. Meanwhile, Magistrate Kasanda also fined Mabonga 4,000 penalty units, equivalent to about K1600, payable forthwith, in default, she will serve an additional three months’ jail term. The magistrate, however, acquitted the lawmaker on count two of seditious practices, stating that the uttered words were not seditious. But Socialist Party president Dr Fred M’membe says the judgement has been passed in that fashion because...