CHIENGI MP GIVEN KATUTA FACES UPTO FIVE YEARS INPRISONMENT FOR SPITTING ON A TIMES OF ZAMBIA JOURNALIST
July 21, 2023
LUSAKA – A police docket has been opened at Emmasdale Police Station against disgruntled and indiscipline Chiengi Independent Member of Parliament Reverend Given Katuta for spitting on a Times of Zambia Photojournalist who tried to capture her as she took her walk of shame from parliament.
According to parliamentary sources, the parliamentarian who calls herself a woman of the cloth was this morning suspended and made to take a walk of shame out of parliament by the Speaker of the National Assembly Nellie Mutti for unruly behavior and misconduct.
The sight of Times of Zambia Photojournalist Henry Chunza taking photos of her coming out of the House infuriated the Parliamentarian who immediately attempted to grab the camera with a view to deleting the photos.
“You see what happened was that when ‘Hon Katuta’ was asked to take the walk of shame by Madam Speaker, she found Henry outside who started taking photos of her. This angered the MP who uttered a lot of unpalatable before she gave chase to have the photos deleted. If you look at the video footage, the part where she attempted to give chase is very visible. Upon finding the Journalist who refused to give her the camera, Ms. Katuta spit saliva on him while calling him ‘mwana wambwa’ (son of a dog) before she was pulled away from the scene.
It was at this point that Henry in the company of Chusa Sichone was advised to report a case of BATTERY against the Reverend MP to Emmasdale police Station as well as parliament Security office, a docket which has since been opened.
“The action by the MP has left everyone shocked. It’s like no-one expected her to behave that way especially that she had just started her punishment. Spitting saliva is a serious case and even gets worse looking at the aggressor and victim. The Journalist was merely carrying out his duty as accredited by the National Assembly. The action is criminal and we hope the police will act against her. She needs to lead by example as a lawmaker, mother and ‘woman of the cloth”, the source said as they called on Media bodies and civil society to condemn the action.
According to the penal code, a person found guilty of battery is liable to a sentencing of not less than 5 years imprisonment with hard labour upon conviction.
(C)THE FALCON