By Mwaka Ndawa
A POLICE OFFICER has told the Lusaka Magistrates’ Court that President Edgar Lungu’s parentage is not known as he did not thoroughly investigate the head of state’s origin.
Edward Mambwe, a detective Inspector based at force headquarters, said Jonathan Mutaware does not exist and naming President Edgar Lungu, Jonathan Mutaware is bringing his name into ridicule.
This is in a matter where New Labour Party leader Fresher Siwale is facing a charge of defamation of the President for alleging that President Lungu is an identity fraud.
When the matter came up for continued cross-examination before magistrate Alice Walusiku, Mambwe told the court that the parentage of the head of state is not known.
When asked by Siwale’s defence lawyer Keith Mweemba and Gilbert Phiri about the particulars of President Lungu’s parents, Mambwe said he did not know.
Asked if he investigated the the origin of the head of state, Mambwe confirmed but denied investigating that of his parents.
The witness was asked if he knows the names on President Lungu’s passport, marriage certificate and his children’s birth certificates but he responded in the negative.
When asked if he had a look at the government gazette when President Lungu changed his nam,e Mambwe said Jonathan Mutaware does not exist.
At the last sitting, Mambwe told the court that an identity thief was a person who has stolen an identity or changed a name but said it was not wrong for the Head of State to change his name.
He claimed that President Lungu started using his name in 1986 and he saw a deed poll for the change of name at government printers but he (Mambwe) doesn’t know if the head of state signed the deed pall.
Asked if he conducted a survey to know how many people held the President in low esteem because of the alleged statement by Siwale, Mambwe denied.
The arresting officer alleged that Dama Banda, a former headteacher at Buntungwa Basic School in Kitwe, had told the court that he held the President in low esteem as a result of Siwale’s statement.
“Among the witnesses, some felt bad that the President’s name was brought into ridicule,” Mambwe claimed.
Asked if he knew whether the President was the right person to say that he is not Jonathan Mutaware and that he does not have three NRCs, Mambwe said he would not know, neither does he know that immunity is not absolute.
“Mr Swale insulted the President, calling someone a thief is an insult,” said Mambwe.
He further confirmed that Siwale alleged that President Lungu is an identity thief and not a thief.
Magistrate Walusiku set June 10 for ruling on whether or not Siwale has a case to answer, following the closure of the case by the state