MILES LINES UP LUNGU, FAITH MUSONDA AS WITNESSES IN CASE AGAINST MVUNGA
PATRIOTIC Front president Miles Sampa has lined up former president Edgar Lungu, billionaire Faith Musonda among other prominent personalities as his witnesses in a case where former Bank of Zambia Governor Christopher Mvunga has sued him for defamation.
Sampa has since pleaded fair comment to an article he shared on his Facebook page alleging that the US$6.5 million which was in possession of journalist Faith Musonda was withdrawn by Mvunga from the Central Bank.
Sampa said he incited investigative wings to probe into the allegations in order to put an end to rumors that the money was illegally drawn from the nation’s coffers without following the bank’s system.
In this matter Mvungnga has sued Sampa in the Lusaka High Court demanding K100 million for smearing his character when he alleged that he (Mvunga) participated in the plunder of public resources and stashing it in people’s homes for safe keeping.
He contended that the damage caused by the article is irreparable and has cast him in bad light in the right thinking members of society who now consider him a “playboy” who did not deserve the appointment of Governor of the Central Bank as well as Deputy Minister of Finance and Deputy Secretary to Cabinet.
Mvunga lamented that at the time the article was published he was engaged in a financial transaction which was foiled as a result of the publication.
But in his defense Sampa said that he posted the article in public interest in pursuit of getting to its conclusion.
He said Mvunga was a public officer who is not immune to public accountability as commenting on matters of public interest does not amount to defaming him.
Sampa denied calling Mvunga a playboy and emphasized that he is a public figure and therefore, not exempted from investigations.
The matero member of parliament and chairman of the African Parliamenterians Network Against Corruption (APNAC) said Mvunga is not entitled to the reliefs he is seeking as he was never issued with any demand for an apology nor given any platform to explain his actions.
Sampa has since asked the Court to set aside the writ of summons for irregularity.
He said Mvunga did not follow procedure before filing the law suit as he did not serve him with a demand letter of the claims against him which he claims have caused him damage.
“This Honorable Court is clothed with the necessary jurisdiction to set aside a writ of summons for irregularity where the law is not followed at commencement,”stated Sampa.
According to list of witnesses submitted to the court, Sampa has listed Lungu, Musonda, current BoZ Governor Denny Kalyalya, Inspector General of Police Graphel Musamba and Mporokoso lawmaker Brian Mundubile as his witnesses.
Kalemba
Oh, Miles Sampa and his fights in court!