Former MP Binwell Mpundu to know on August 20 if he has case to answer in sedition trial Former Nkana independent Member of Parliament Binwell Mpundu will learn on August 20 whether he has a case to answer over a Facebook post allegedly urging politicians to arm themselves, after…

Former MP Binwell Mpundu to know on August 20 if he has case to answer in sedition trial

Former Nkana independent Member of Parliament Binwell Mpundu will learn on August 20 whether he has a case to answer over a Facebook post allegedly urging politicians to arm themselves, after narrowly avoiding detention under a bench warrant at the Lusaka Magistrates’ Court on Monday.

Magistrate Webster Milumbe discharged a warrant that had been issued against Mpundu on July 9 after he failed to appear for a scheduled hearing in his ongoing sedition trial. The former lawmaker told the court he was not offering excuses but expressing genuine regret, explaining that a vehicle breakdown in remote parts of Luapula Province had prevented him from returning to Lusaka in time.

“Your Honour, my apologies. I failed to come because my vehicle broke down in Luapula where I had gone for campaigns. Your Honour, this made it difficult for me to return in time,” Mpundu told the court.

He explained that he currently holds a key position in a presidential candidate’s campaign team ahead of the August 13 general election, a role that requires extensive travel before campaign rallies. Mpundu said the journey that led to his absence had taken his team from Luapula Province through several districts in Eastern Province, including Nyimba, Petauke, Sinda, Katete and Lundazi.

He further told the court that deteriorating road conditions and a tyre burst along the Muchinga escarpment compounded the delays, making it impossible to reach Lusaka in time for the hearing.

The former MP said he had consistently attended all previous court sessions and produced photographs of the damaged vehicle as evidence of the breakdown.

“Your Honour, I am a law-abiding citizen, and I respect our courts of law,” he said.

In his ruling, Magistrate Milumbe said Mpundu deserved the benefit of the doubt in light of his previous attendance record. The court discharged the warrant and allowed him to continue on police bond before proceeding with the hearing.

The prosecution then called Detective Inspector Steven Simweenda, who testified that police investigations had linked a Facebook post to an account belonging to Mpundu.

According to Simweenda, the post, titled Defend Yourselves With Equal Measures and published on December 20, 2024, urged fellow politicians to acquire firearms following a reported assault on opposition leader Sean Tembo.

The officer told the court that such a call would have encouraged politicians to act contrary to the Public Order Act, which prohibits the possession of firearms at public gatherings.

He testified that police obtained an authenticated copy of the Facebook post from the Zambia Information and Communications Technology Authority (ZICTA), which established that the account belonged to the former Nkana legislator.

Simweenda further told the court that the Facebook page had more than three million followers, giving its owner considerable public influence and responsibility for the content published on the platform.

During cross-examination, the investigating officer maintained that the Facebook account belonged to Mpundu and that he was responsible for the publication. He added that during earlier investigations, the accused had acknowledged ownership of the page but denied committing the offence after being formally warned and cautioned by police.

Mpundu is charged with one count of seditious practices contrary to Section 57(1)(b), read together with Section 60(1)(i), of the Penal Code, Chapter 87 of the Laws of Zambia.

With the prosecution having closed its case, Magistrate Milumbe adjourned the matter to August 20, when the court will determine whether Mpundu has a case to answer and should be placed on his defence.