MAN WHO CLAIMED HICHILEMA IMPREGNATED CHIPO TO BE SENTENCED MONDAY
A 49-year-old Lusaka man, Joseph Chishimba, is set to return to the Lusaka Magistrates’ Court on Monday for mitigation and sentencing after being convicted of publishing false information.
Chishimba was convicted under Section 54 of the Cyber Security and Cyber Crimes Act No. 2 of 2021 following a year-long trial over social media claims alleging that President Hakainde Hichilema had impregnated Presidential Policy Advisor Chipo Mwanawasa.
Principal Resident Magistrate Idah Phiri found Chishimba guilty after forensic evidence showed that the material containing the allegations had been distributed from his phone to a WhatsApp group.
The court heard that Chishimba had received the material from an individual identified as Charles Kakula before forwarding it.
Chipo Mwanawasa, 36, told the court that the allegations caused embarrassment, trauma, harassment and reputational damage to her, her family and the Presidency.
She strongly denied that any such relationship existed and described the claims as false.
⚖️ Sentencing and mitigation have been reserved for Monday because Chishimba’s lawyer, Kelvin Fube, was absent from court.
Kalemba | September 12, 2026
By Catherine Pule