Ailing Kambwili Gets Adjournment in Defamation Case

The Lusaka Magistrates’ Court on Tuesday was forced to adjourn Chishimba Kambwili’s defamation of the President case to May 18, 2020 following an application by his lawyers that the former information minister has a serious medical condition that requires him to minimise public contact.

Mr Kambwili appeared before Lusaka chief resident magistrate Lameck Mwale with one of his lawyers Christopher Mundia.

When the matter was called, State prosecutor Ms Charity Alisinda-Bauleni informed the court that they were ready to proceed with trial.

However, Mr Mundia sought the court’s indulgence in chambers before the matter could proceed and magistrate Mwale granted the lawyer’s request.

When they returned from the chambers, Kambwili’s lawyer applied for an adjournment on grounds of his client’s Kambwili ill health, saying he has a serious underlying medical condition that requires him to minimise public contact.

The prosecution had no objection to the application owing to the reasons advanced, and the magistrate then ordered that trial continues on May 18,  2020.

Mr Kambwili is in this matter charged with defamation of the President after he  allegedly referred to President Edgar Lungu as “a dog from Chawama” between August 26 and August 27, 2019.