Lusaka — A Lusaka Magistrate court today summoned The Post newspapers' entire editorial staff to appear in the dock for contempt of court over an article authored by a Zambian law professor based in the USA concerning the prosecution of the newspapers' news editor.

The summons for Wednesday this week, will be the first time in Zambian history that all members of staff of a media organization are summoned to appear in court for contempt.

In a column commentary published in The Post on August 27, 2009, United States' University of Cornell Professor of Law, Muna Ndulo described as "Comedy of Errors" the prosecution of The Post news editor Chansa Kabwela for circulating obscene matters or things tending to corrupt public morals, contrary to section 177 1(b) of the Zambian Penal Code.

During the trial of Kabwela on Friday last week, state prosecutors asked the court to cite The Post for contempt of court.

In his ruling today [Monday], Lusaka chief resident magistrate Charles Kafunda cited for contempt and summoned The Post editor-in-chief Fred M'membe, Prof Ndulo and the entire editorial staff of the newspaper to appear before him this Wednesday.

Kabwela is on trial for circulating pictures of a woman, who gave birth outside a hospital in Lusaka, during strike of nurses and doctors in Zambia.

Since the pictures were gruesome and depicted the apex of the strike, Kabwela could not publish the pictures instead she wrote a letter, and enclosed the same pictures, and sent it to Republican Vice-President George Kunda, the minister of health, women organization's umbrella body and Lusaka Catholic Church archbishop, with a view that the pictures would prompt the government to quickly resolve the strike.

However, President Rupiah Banda, upon seeing the pictures, ordered for the arrest of the person who took and circulated the pictures, which he described as "pornography".

Kabwela has pleaded not guilty to one count of circulating obscene matters or things tending to corrupt public morals, contrary to section 177 1(b) of the Penal Code.