Chellah Tukuta Appears Before Ndola Court For Mention
Photographer Chellah Tukuta who is facing several counts of criminal libel in Lusaka and Ndola has appeared before Ndola magistrate Misozi Banda for mention.
Chellah, 34, charged with three counts at the magistrate court and one count which needs the Director of Public Prosecution (DPP)’s consent for it to proceed to trial.
In count one, Chellah is charged with publishing defamatory matter concerning Khalif Abdullah.
It is alleged that on May 26, 2020, Chellah published defamatory matter concerning Mr Abdullah on Facebook in which he said “Khalif, your time to leave Zambia has come you chi criminal”.
In count two, he is charged with publishing defamatory matter concerning Mr Adbullah where it is alleged that on June 9, 2020, he did publish defamatory matter concerning Mr Abdullah in form of a Facebook post in which he said the latter and Energy Regulation Board director Langiwe Lungu should “stop arm-twisting the Government over fuel, you are the reason fuel is still expensive when it supposed to be cheap. Thieves.”
In count three, he is charged with threatening violence with allegations being that on 12th June, he threatened violence to the property of Khalif Motors Zambia Limited in which he said “Khalif, if you don’t leave Zambia, we shall burn your trucks”.
In count four, Chellah is charged with expressing or showing hatred for persons because of place of origin.
It is alleged that on 26th May, 2020, Chellah published writing on his Facebook page expressing or showing hatred, ridicule and contempt for Mr Abdullah because of his place of origin.
When the matter came up for plea last month, Chellah pleaded not guilty to the three counts and was granted a K5, 000 bail in his own recognizance with two working sureties of Ndola in the like sum.
Magistrate Banda had adjourned the matter to July 10 for mention in the case awaiting the DPP’s consent and July 15 for trial in the three matters for which he pleaded not guilty.