By Darious Kapembwa
FORMER foreign affairs minister Joseph Malanji has sued UPND losing candidate for Kwacha Constituency in the 2021 general elections Abel Mulenga for defamation of character.
Malanji was declared winner of the election but it was nullified following Mulenga’s petition on account of, among other things, Malanji’s alleged failure to produce a grade 12 certificate.
Malanji has since appealed the High Court’s nullification of his election in the Constitutional Court.
But Mulenga also went on to lodge a criminal complaint at Kitwe Central Police Station, accusing Malanji of having forged a grade 12 certificate which he used to successfully file in his nominations as candidate in the August 12 general elections.
This act prompted Malanji to sue for defamation after police exonerated him following their investigation in collaboration with the Examinations Council of Zambia.
“On 27th November, 2021 at 12:30 hours, Kitwe Central Police Station received a report from M/Charles Abel Mulenga aged 57 of house number 44kk3 Jambo Drive, Kitwe.
He reported that Hon. Joseph Malanji abused the electoral process by presenting a forged Grade 12 certificate for adoption as he claimed that he was very aware that hehas no grade 12 certificate.
He only based on the pronouncement by the Kitwe High Court during the election petition,” read part of the clearance letter from the Kitwe district police headquarters signed by a P Bwalya dated December 22, 2021.
“Hon. Joseph Malanji voluntarily produced the grade 12 results to the police and the police subjected the same for verification with Examinations Council of Zambia.
Examinations Council of Zambia verified and confirmed that the examination results submitted were genuine and were fully issued by the Examination Council of Zambia.
Hence Hon. Malanji has the genuine grade 12 certificate based on the authentic of the Examination Council of Zambia.”
And according to a writ of summons filed dated January 20, 2022, filed in the Lusaka High Court principal registry, Malanji is demanding damages for defamation of character, exemplary damages, an order for an injunction restraining the defendant whether by himself, servants or agents or otherwise whosoever it may be acting on behalf of the defendant from making statements about the plaintiff that are defamatory, interest on the amount found to be due at commercial bank lending rate and any other relief that the court may deem fit plus costs.