20 November 2008
A FIFTY-three-year-old MMD official yesterday narrated in the Nchelenge magistrate's court how suspected Patriotic Front (PF) cadres threatened to cut off her legs after President Rupiah Banda won the October 30 elections.
Diana Mulenga, of Shinjoni Village in Nchelenge, told the court presided over by Magistrate Fred Musaka that a group of youths chanting PF slogans insulted her and President Banda on November 1.
This is in a case in which nine suspected PF cadres have been charged with conduct likely to cause a breach of peace contrary to Section 178 Sub Section (F) Chapter 87 of the Laws of Zambia.
Particulars of the offence are that, while acting together on November 1, the nine behaved in a manner likely to cause a breach of peace at Kashikishi Old Market.
Ms Mulenga, who is MMD Nchelenge constituency chairperson said the youth, who started chanting "No Sata no peace" slogans also stoned her restaurant and a warehouse where she kept soft drinks.
She, however, only identified Albert Kopa out of the whol e group, who she said was the leader , adding that she heard him saying Kashikishi residents were timid who feared the police instead of rioting.
"I even heard him say that if the MMD was to win, his group was going to start a war, torch houses and go to the streets to throw stones," Ms Mulenga said.
But during cross-examination, Ms Mulenga conceded that she was unable to identify the rest of the accused because she did not see them in the act.
Another witness, Denis Mukunta, 46, of L8 Nchelenge High School Teachers Township, described how he alerted police around 21:00 hours on the same day after he witnessed the accused trying to set ablaze an electricity pole.
Mr Mukunta, who is the deputy head teacher at Nchelenge High School, said he was going to Kashikishi when he heard people shouting and saw a mob of youths dismantling marketeers' stands which they heaped around a Zesco pole and set it ablaze.
He told the court that that he called the police who came and apprehended some of members of the mob and put off the fire.
Mr Musaka granted eight of the accused cash bail of K200, 000 with two working sureties and ordered them to report to the court every day at 08:00 hours until the case is disposed of.
The matter has been adjourned to November 21 for continued trial.- ZANIS
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