Tempers flared on Monday as MMD president Nevers Mumba addressed supporters at Kitwe magistrate courts with other sessions disrupted due to the sizeable number of sympathisers.
Mumba was in Kitwe appearing before court on a trumped up charge of conduct likely to cause the breach of peace slapped under strict instructions from President Michael Sata.
MMD cadres in Kitwe swarmed the magistrate court when word went round that Mumba was due to appear. As proceedings inside court were on, the number of supporters began to swell.
By the time Mumba was through with the session, there was a huge crowd chanting solidarity songs and poured scorn on the PF government for failure to honour its promises.
Mumba was forced to address his supporters who he told to remain steadfast and focussed.
As Mumba was addressing the supporters, Copperbelt provincial prosecutions officer Anderson Simbuliani attempted to stop him.
Simbuliani approached Dr Mumba and advised him to leave the premises because he was in contempt of court. However, Dr Mumba told the official to leave him alone with his supporters as the crowd went agog and joined in chasing the court man.
During the session, Dr Mumba pleaded not guilty to a charge of being disorderly.
Dr Mumba, 52, of house number 17C Middleway, Kabulonga in Lusaka, is charged with being a disorderly person, contrary to section 178 (f) of the Penal Code Chapter 87 of the Laws of Zambia.
Particulars of the offence are that Mumba on December 24, 2012 in Kitwe, publicly conducted himself in a manner likely to cause a breach of the peace.
In Lusaka, UPND president Hakainde Hichilema pleaded not guilty to a charge of defaming President Sata on Monday.
Hichilema denied the charge when the matter came up for plea before magistrate Prince Mwiinga in Lusaka yesterday.
Hichilema is charged with one count of defamation of the President, contrary to the Laws of Zambia.
Particulars of the offence are that Hichilema with intent to bring the President’s name into hatred, ridicule or contempt did issue or publish a statement that President Sata had ordered the Anti-Corruption Commission to stop investigations against Minister of Justice Winter Kabimba. The story was carried in the Daily Nation newspaper of January 14, 2013.
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