HIGH COURT ALLOWS MILES SAMPA TO PROCEED WITH CONTEMPT CASE AGAINST EMMANUEL MWAMBA
THE Lusaka High Court has granted Patriotic Front (PF) president Miles Sampa’s application for him to start contempt of court proceedings against PF faction information and publicity chairperson Emmanuel Mwamba after the former diplomat hosted a podcast where guests allegedly commented over an active court case.
Commenting over an active court case is deemed contempt of court and can attract imprisonment.
“It is hereby ordered and that leave be and is hereby granted to the first respondent [Mr Sampa] to commence contempt of court and committal proceedings against the alleged contemnor Emmanuel Mwamba,” the court ordered reads in part.
Mr Sampa wants Mr Mwamba to be jailed for contempt of court after he recently hosted Victor Kapungwe and Chama Amerika on his podcast and the duo allegedly commented on Mr Sampa’s election as PF party president.
This prompted the PF Matero MP to start contempt of court proceedings against Mr Mwamba for hosting guests who commented on the legality of his election as PF president while knowing well the matter to do with his ascendency to the presidency was still in court.
Mr Sampa contends that Mr Mwamba, in a one minute 57 seconds video, directed political commentators, Mr Kapungwe and Chama Amerika to comment on his election as party president.
He submits that the podcast in question was titled: Miles Sampa’s illegal conference.
“That the declaration of my election as party president was illegal, null and void during the podcast hosted by the second petitioner (Em- manuel Mwamba) has potential to bring the court in disrepute,” Mr Sampa adds.
He submits that Mr Mwamba should have respected the due process of the law and allowed for the matter to be adjudicated upon fairly without presenting a narrative to the public that might cause conflict and embarrassment to the court.
He further adds that the alleged contemnor (Mwamba) had no excuse for his unlawful conduct and should therefore be cited for contempt of court and committed to prison.
Mr Sampa then applied that the High Court should allow him to start contempt of court proceedings which the court has since granted.
Mwebantu