Messrs Mwenye and Mwitwa Advocates have withdrawn from acting as lawyers for Prime Television in a matter where the station challenged the government’s decision to cease all cooperation with it.
The law firm has filed a notice of withdrawal in the Lusaka High Court in this case where Prime Television petitioned the Lusaka High Court for an order quashing Information Minister Dora Siliya’s decision to cease all cooperation with the station.
The IBA on April 9, 2020 cancelled the broadcasting license of Prime TV and Ms Siliya, on April 23, 2020, also threw out the appeal on the ground that the license for Prime TV had expired.
In the case in court, Prime TV is seeking an order declaring government’s decision to cease all transactions and business with it as unconstitutional.
But Ministry of Information and Broadcasting Services Permanent Secretary Amos Malupenga has told the Lusaka High Court that Prime Television does not have the ability to exercise its right to impart and receive information because it is not licensed.
Mr. Malupenga has asked the court to dismiss the case in which Prime Television is challenging government’s decision to cease all cooperation with it, saying the petition is incompetent as the private station was not licensed at the time it commenced the said action.
And the Attorney General has asked the court to dismiss the said petition because it has no limbs to stand on, arguing that Prime TV’s broadcasting licence was the only basis upon which its freedom of press as guaranteed under Article 20 of the Constitution could be enjoyed.