I DIDN’T GIVE KBN THE AUDIO – KALABA
By Staff Reporter
DEMOCRATIC Party president Harry Kalaba says he did not give the leaked audio to KBN Television.
A Zambia Police source told The Mast that there is a manoeuvre to arrest Kalaba and KBN Television editor Petty Chanda over the leaked audio.
Police spokesperson Rae Hamoonga on Monday confirmed that, “Police have recorded a warn and caution statement for the offence of destroying evidence contrary to Section 111 of the penal code of the laws of Zambia from Petty Chanda aged 38 of plot number 30 Kusiku road Chelston a journalist for Kenmark Broadcasting Network in Lusaka. She has since been released. Police investigations are ongoing.”
Last week, police summoned and interviewed Chanda over an audio recording KBN aired in which home affairs permanent secretary – administration Josephs Akafumba and President Hakainde Hichilema’s political advisor Levy Ngoma were discussing issues pertaining to the opposition Democratic Party.
According to the police source, Kalaba put himself in the firing range by admitting that he gave KBN Television the audio recording.
But Kalaba told The Mast that “I never gave KBN the audio. Check what I said when I featured on 5FM.”
Last Thursday, Kalaba said it was surprising that some government officials were describing the audio circulating on social media as fake and wondered how they came to that conclusion.
He said the only institution which could state whether the video was real or fake was the Zambia Information and Communication Technology Authority (ZICTA).
“When I got the information that State House and President Hakainde Hichilema are involved in destabilising the DP, I approached the President who denied having being involved in sponsoring anyone and encouraged me, that ‘my brother, just forge ahead’, and I thought he was encouraging me genuinely not until around 01:00 hours when I received the audio,” Kalaba revealed when he was featured on 5FM radio.
“And I said ‘yes, this is my moment’. The first person I sent it to is President Hichilema, but he has not answered. He is quiet up to now. Maybe he is very busy with foreign duties. The second person is the chief government spokesperson, who is Minister of Information and Media, Chushi Kasanda, my sister. Me I call her my sister. She is also quiet.”
State House has since described the audio as hearsay.
Presidential spokesperson Anthony Bwalya says President Hichilema will not act on a leaked audio until a professional investigation is done.
“…There has been no professional investigation that has been carried out to ascertain who the names of the individuals in that recording were. Everything that you and I are hearing is hearsay,” said Bwalya.
“Until and when a professional investigation has been conducted and carried out to ascertain the identities of those individuals, we shall not comment on hearsay and the President will not act on hearsay.”said Bwalya.
“Until and when a professional investigation has been conducted and carried out to ascertain the identities of those individuals, we shall not comment on hearsay and the President will not act on hearsay.”