I MAY be single, I may have had failed relationships, I may be divorced but this does not make me a high professional prostitute, Dora Siliya said in her testimony against photographer Cornelius Tukuta.
Siliya has taken Tukuta to court for defamation of character, for accusing her of being a ‘prostitute’.
Siliya, who is Minister of Information and Broadcasting Services and Petauke PF member of parliament, told the Lusaka Magistrates’ Court that Tukuta’s utterances on his Facebook page injured her reputation.
Meanwhile, the State has dropped one count of libel against Tukuta in which he accused Zambia Revenue Authority commissioner general Kingsley Chanda of taking pecuniary advantage of his position at ZRA by arm-twisting various businesses to give his companies Ciltax and Nishati business.
Tukuta later took fresh plea and denied defaming Siliya.
Allegations in the matter are that Tukuta, on May 26, 2020, on his Facebook page, published defamatory material saying “this Dora Siliya is hooking up girls, selling them to high profile men so that they can be sleeping with them. She is actually the highest professional prostitute. If Dora Siliya is refusing these allegations that she does not connect girls to high profile people for sex, let her come.”
In her testimony before chief resident magistrate
Lameck Mwale, Silya said on May 25, 2020 she received phone calls from Natasha Vandermaas, Minister of Housing and Infrastructure Vincent Mwale and former special assistant to the president for political affairs Kaizer Zulu asking her if she was aware of what Tukuta had posted.
She said Vandermaas sent to her the pictures and the video Tukuta posted on Facebook.
“I was quarantined together with my son. He proceeded to show me a video of a man I had never seen. What angered me is the last 14 minutes of the video. I was incensed with the part where he (Tukuta) said Dora Siliya is hooking up ladies and selling them to high profile men to the effect that she is the highest professional prostitute and asking that all of you watching this video should show it to the whole world,” Siliya said.
“…I decided to make a formal complaint to the police. On June 2, I met with the police and made a statement. They asked why I was making a statement and I said I was being accused of criminal activities for selling human beings.”
Siliya said according to her understanding of simple English, a ‘prostitute’ engages in sexual activities for cash and for Tukuta to refer to her as a person who sells girls to high profile men means that she committed a crime.
“I felt angry and embarrassed as I am a person who has been a public servant for so many years since I work for government. I felt that it was damaging to my reputation and my family,” Siliya said. She said Tukuta’s utterances were injurious to her persona because she was of good character.
“I have paid a deaf ear to what is said about politicians and public figures but this is different because I am being accused of heinous crimes, especially that I advocate for women’s rights and that I mentor young girls. I do not sell human beings and engage in sexual activities for cash. I am a human being and I am infallible,” Siliya said. “Yes, I may be single, I have had failed relationships, I have been divorced but that does not make me a high profile prostitute or does not make me, that I sell girls to high profile men.”
In cross-examination by Mulambo Haimbe, Siliya affirmed that she had not given a specific date on which Tukuta alleged that she engaged in prostitution in a certain period.
Asked if she could recall that The Mast Newspaper had published a story in which Mark Mubalama called her a prostitute, Siliya said she did not read the newspaper but that everyone knew she was in a relationship with the businessman.
Siliya confirmed that she did not take a legal action against Mubalama for calling her a prostitute.
Asked if there was a story attributed to her supporting the use of bottom power to get to the top, Siliya confirmed but denied it was true.
Asked if the connotation of using bottom power to get to the top does mean one has to use their body through sex to get to the top, Siliya confirmed.
Siliya denied funding the parties usually hosted by beauty pageants Mercy Mukwiza and Alice Musukwa.
She also expressed ignorance about what the youths discuss at the high profile tea meetings she holds at her restaurant called Mana situated in Rhodes Park area.