BREAKING | Vlogger Joseph Chishimba convicted over false Mwanawasa pregnancy claim
The Lusaka Magistrates’ Court has convicted vlogger Joseph Chishimba over the circulation of a screenshot claiming Special Assistant to the President for Public Policy Chipokota Mwanawasa was in a relationship with President Hakainde Hichilema and was pregnant by him.
The conviction follows proceedings arising from Chishimba’s circulation of the claim on social media. The allegation concerned Mwanawasa, a State House official and daughter of late former President Levy Mwanawasa.
The court’s finding moves the matter from allegation to conviction, although further details on the specific offence, the court’s reasoning and sentence were not immediately available from the information before The People’s Brief.
The case has attracted attention amid a wider debate in Zambia over the boundary between political commentary and the publication of false or defamatory claims about public officials.
– The People’s Brief | Chileshe Sengwe